The Shipping Forecast — Text
Live • fetched from the Met Office • Southampton is in sea area “Wight”
Valid from 06:00 (UTC+1) on Thu 13 Aug 2026 until 06:00 (UTC+1) on Fri 14 Aug 2026 • Issued 04:05 (UTC+1) on Thu 13 Aug 2026 • Cached 05:27
Sea Area Wight (covers the Solent & Southampton Water)
Forecast group: Thames, Dover, Wight
Variable 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good, occasionally moderate
The Shipping Forecast is issued by the Met Office on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, four times a day, and covers the seas around the British Isles. It has four parts: any gale warnings in force, the general synopsis (where the weather systems are and where they’re heading), the sea area forecasts for the next 24 hours (wind, sea state, weather, visibility), and — on the radio broadcast only, not in this online text — coastal station reports at 0048 and 0535. Southampton and the Solent fall within sea area “Wight”, highlighted above.
General Synopsis
Low 100 miles southwest of Iceland 1000, expected 100 miles northeast of Iceland 1003 by midnight tonight
Gale Warnings In Force
No gale warnings currently in force for any sea area.
All Sea Area Forecasts (Next 24 Hours)
| Viking | South 4 to 6, veering southwest 2 to 4 later. Moderate. Thundery showers, fog patches developing. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor |
| North Utsire, South Utsire | Southeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in North Utsire. Moderate, occasionally slight in South Utsire. Thundery showers. Good, occasionally poor |
| Forties | South 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later. Slight or moderate. Thundery showers. Good, occasionally poor |
| Cromarty, Forth | Variable 2 to 4. Slight, occasionally moderate at first in east. Thundery showers. Good, occasionally poor |
| Tyne, Dogger | Southeast 3 to 5, veering west 2 to 4 later. Slight, occasionally moderate at first. Showers. Good |
| Fisher, German Bight, Humber | Southeast 3 to 5, veering west 2 to 4 later in Humber. Slight, occasionally moderate in northwest Fisher. Showers later in Fisher. Good |
| Thames, Dover, Wight | Variable 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good, occasionally moderate |
| Portland, Plymouth | Variable becoming northwest 2 to 4. Slight or moderate. Mainly fair. Good, occasionally poor |
| Biscay | North or northwest 2 to 4. Slight or moderate. Mainly fair. Good, occasionally poor in far north |
| Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1) | North or northwest 3 to 5. Moderate, occasionally slight in far southeast. Showers in west. Good. |
| FitzRoy | Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northwest 3 to 5. Moderate. Showers. Good |
| Sole | Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 3 to 5. Moderate. Showers, thundery at first in west. Good, occasionally poor |
| Lundy, Fastnet | Variable 2 to 4, becoming west 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Showers in Fastnet. Good, occasionally poor |
| Irish Sea | South or southwest 2 to 4, veering west later, 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Fog patches, showers later. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor |
| Shannon | Southwest 3 or 4, veering northwest 4 or 5. Moderate. Showers, thundery with fog patches at first. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first |
| Rockall, Malin, Hebrides | South veering west 3 to 5. Moderate, occasionally rough at first in northwest of Rockall and Hebrides. Thundery showers, fog patches. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor |
| Bailey | West or southwest 4 to 6. Moderate, occasionally rough at first. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate |
| Fair Isle | South, veering west later, 2 to 4. Moderate, occasionally slight in southeast. Thundery showers, fog patches. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor |
| Faeroes, Southeast Iceland | Southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later. Moderate or rough. Occasional rain, fog patches. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor |
Sea Area Map
Sea area boundaries used in the Shipping Forecast — Wight is the small area covering the Solent, Southampton Water and the Isle of Wight, between Portland and Dover.
Source: Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency • See also: Shipping Forecast (Audio) • Inshore Waters Forecast • UK Wave Height