Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

High FitzRoy 1036 dissipating

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Tue 31 Mar 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Wed 1 Apr 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 2 Apr 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, veering northerly 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, then showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, veering northerly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, then showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain for a time.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: Southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain for a time.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in east.
Weather: Rain for a time.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain for a time.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain for a time.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: In west, southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later. In east, variable 2 to 4 becoming southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in west.
Weather: In west, rain for a time. In east, rain later, fog patches.
Visibility: In west, moderate or good, occasionally poor. In east, moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fisher

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southwesterly 3 to 5, then veering northwesterly 6 later in northwest.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Thames

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Dover

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Wight

Wind: In east, variable 2 to 4. In west, northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: In east, smooth or slight. in west, slight or moderate.
Weather: In east, occasional rain, fog patches. In west, drizzle at times.
Visibility: In east, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In west, moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Portland

Wind: Northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Drizzle at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Plymouth

Wind: Northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Drizzle at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Biscay

Wind: Northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Drizzle at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Trafalgar

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in far southeast, but elsewhere moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times. In north, variable 2 to 4 becoming westerly 3 to 5, then veering northwesterly later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: In south, mainly fair. In north, occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor in north.

Sole

Wind: Westerly, veering northwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: Westerly, veering northwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Westerly, veering northwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in northeast, moderate or rough in southwest.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: Southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 4 to 6 later, occasionally 7 later in north.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain for a time later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Shannon

Wind: Southwest veering north or northwest, 5 to 7 decreasing 2 to 4, then becoming southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming rough.
Weather: Squally rain, then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: Southwest veering north or northwest, 5 to 7 decreasing 2 to 4, then becoming southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming rough.
Weather: Squally rain, then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: Southwest veering north 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Squally rain, then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Tue 31 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwest veering north 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Squally rain, then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeast 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain at first in southeast, otherwise wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Tue 31 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwesterly veering northerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in south, then backing northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough at first in west and north, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain, perhaps squally, then wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 or 3 later in west.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, but moderate just east of the faroe islands.
Weather: Rain, then wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Tue 31 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased but northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Westerly 5 or 6 veering northwesterly 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Sleet or snow showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very 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.