Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Printable version

The general synopsis at midnight

High 150 miles west of Sole 1039 expected east Rockall 1042 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 05:05 (UTC) on Sun 01 Nov 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Sun 01 Nov 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Mon 02 Nov 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

North Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain for a time, showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, veering northerly or northwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight becoming moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain for a time.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: Westerly 2 or 3 at first in southeast, otherwise northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain at first, then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Cromarty

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in west.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain at first, then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Tyne

Wind: West or northwest 2 to 4, veering north or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain for a time, then showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor until later.

Dogger

Wind: West or northwest 2 to 4, veering north or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain for a time, then showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor until later.

Fisher

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in east.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain for a time, then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain for a time, then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain for a time, then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain for a time, then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight until later, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight until later, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar (issued 00:15 UTC)

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in far southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather: Fog patches for a time in northeast.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in northeast.

FitzRoy

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain at first in west.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first in west.

Sole

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain at first in west.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first in west.

Lundy

Wind: North or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain for a time.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: North or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far south.
Weather: Rain for a time.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: North or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain for a time.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first in south.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Hebrides

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate, but occasionally slight in far east throughout.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Bailey

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fair Isle

Wind: West or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in southeast, moderate or rough in northwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Faeroes

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

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.