Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

High 200 miles west of Rockall 1035 slow-moving, intensifying 1037 by midday tomorrow

Issued at: 16:25 (UTC) on Sun 19 Jul 2026.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Sun 19 Jul 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Mon 20 Jul 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in east.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers in southwest.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate in southwest.

North Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in west.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in east.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers in west.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate in west.

Cromarty

Wind: Variable mainly northwest 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Mainly fair then occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forth

Wind: Variable mainly northwest 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Mainly fair then occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Tyne

Wind: Variable mainly northwest 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Mainly fair then occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Wind: North or northwest 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times.
Sea state: Rough at first in west, otherwise moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

German Bight

Wind: North or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough at first in west, otherwise moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time in west.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in northeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time in west.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 5 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in north and east, smooth or slight in south and west.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 5 at times except in northwest.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 5 at times except in north.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 5 at times except in north.
Sea state: Smooth or slight in east, slight or moderate in west.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: Northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in far southwest.
Weather: Thundery showers in south.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate in south.

FitzRoy

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5 in far southeast, but elsewhere northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Thundery showers in south.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate in south.

Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)

Wind: North or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in north.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5 in south but northwesterly 4 to 6 in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Drizzle at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in southeast.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Drizzle at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Hebrides

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 3 in east.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather: Drizzle at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Bailey

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in northwest.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in far northwest.
Weather: Drizzle at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fair Isle

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 at times in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches in north.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in north.

Faeroes

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in west but becoming variable 2 at times in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in west.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches in north.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in north.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Variable 3 or less until later in north, otherwise westerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in west, perhaps gale 8 later in west.
Sea state: Mainly moderate or rough, but slight or moderate in far north.
Weather: Fog patches in north.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in north.

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.