Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midnight

Low Faeroes 995 expected Norwegian Sea 1007 by midnight tonight. High 300 miles west of FitzRoy 1027, expected Shannon with little change by same time

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Sat 18 Apr 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Sat 18 Apr 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Sun 19 Apr 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southerly, veering westerly or northwesterly, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly, veering westerly or northwesterly, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly, veering westerly or northwesterly, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind: Southwest, veering northwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Southwest, veering northwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Southwest, veering northwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southwest, veering northwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Southwest, veering northwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: South, veering northwest later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain then showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind: South, veering northwest later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in south.
Weather: Rain then showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind: Southwest, veering northwest, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, rain at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Thames

Wind: Southwest, veering northwest, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, rain at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Dover

Wind: Northwest, veering northeast later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Wight

Wind: Northwest, veering northeast later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Portland

Wind: Northwest, veering northeast later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Plymouth

Wind: Northwest, veering northeast later, 3 or 4.
Sea state: Rough becoming moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: North, veering northeast, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first in far northwest.
Weather: Showers then fair.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Fri 17 Apr 2026

Wind: Easterly in far southeast, otherwise northeasterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first in far north.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Northerly, veering easterly or northeasterly, 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: Northwest, veering east, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Rough becoming moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: West 3 to 5, veering north or northeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Rough becoming moderate, occasionally slight later.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: West 3 to 5, veering north or northeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Rough becoming moderate, occasionally slight later.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: West 3 to 5, veering north or northeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Rough becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, backing west or southwest 2 to 4.
Sea state: Very rough becoming rough, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Squally showers then fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Malin

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, backing west or southwest 2 to 4.
Sea state: Very rough becoming rough, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Squally showers then fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Fri 17 Apr 2026

Gale force 8 veering westerly soon, veering northwesterly later

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5.
Sea state: Very rough becoming rough.
Weather: Squally showers then fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Fri 17 Apr 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 2 to 4, then becoming variable later.
Sea state: Very rough becoming rough.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Fri 17 Apr 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Fri 17 Apr 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Fri 17 Apr 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming northwesterly, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, becoming good.

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.