Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

Atlantic low 987 expected Rockall 991 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Tue 19 May 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Tue 19 May 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Wed 20 May 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

North Utsire

Wind: Southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind: Southeast 5 to 7, veering south 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Southeast 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Thundery rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southeast 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Thundery rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Southeast 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in northwest.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

German Bight

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind: South veering southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather: Rain then thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: South veering southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather: Rain then thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: South veering southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather: Rain then thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: South veering southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first, then rough later.
Weather: Rain then thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Plymouth

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Biscay

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

FitzRoy

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first in southeast.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Trafalgar

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 in southeast, elsewhere westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate, but slight in far southeast, becoming rough in northwest.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: South or southeast veering southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Thundery rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Shannon

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first in northeast.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: Southeast veering southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in southeast and very rough later in west.
Weather: Thundery rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Hebrides

Wind: East or southeast becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: East or southeast becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: East or southeast 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Faeroes

Wind: East or southeast 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Shipping forecast information

The shipping forecast is issued four times a day at 2300, 0500, 1100, 1700 UTC and covers a period of 24 hours from 0000, 0600, 1200 and 1800 UTC respectively.

The waters around the British Isles are divided into 31 sea areas shown on the map.

The forecast contains details of gale warnings in force, a general synopsis and sea-area forecasts containing wind direction and force, sea state, weather and visibility.

Gale warnings are issued as required throughout the day (for winds of Gale Force 8 or more).

Marine forecasts disclaimer

In the UK, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) is responsible for the provision of Maritime Safety Information (MSI) to ships at sea, which includes the broadcast of warnings and forecasts. The Met Office initiates warnings and prepares routine forecasts for dissemination on behalf of the MCA.

Caution: The internet is not part of the Maritime Safety Information system and should never be relied upon as the only means to obtain the latest forecast and warning information. Access to the service may be interrupted or delayed from time to time, updates may also be delayed.

Please refer to GMDSS services, INMARSAT SafetyNET or international NAVTEX for the latest information. When using these web pages, always check that the page on your screen is not from your cache. Use the Refresh or Reload button if in any doubt.