Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

New low expected Plymouth 1015 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 05:05 (UTC) on Thu 5 Mar 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Thu 5 Mar 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Fri 6 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Wed 4 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Wed 4 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

South Utsire

Wind: Southeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Southerly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Southerly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Southerly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southerly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Southerly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: South or southeast, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

German Bight

Wind: South or southeast, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Humber

Wind: South or southeast, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Thames

Wind: South or southeast, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind: South or southeast, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind: South or southeast, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: South or southeast, becoming variable later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough later in west.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough later in west.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 09:47 (UTC) on Wed 4 Mar 2026

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Thu 5 Mar 2026

Wind: Cyclonic 3 or 4, becoming northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain, then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 09:47 (UTC) on Wed 4 Mar 2026

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6 at first in east, otherwise northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 08:03 (UTC) on Thu 5 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6 at first in east, otherwise northwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 03:56 (UTC) on Thu 5 Mar 2026

Northerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate in east, occasionally very rough for a time later in south.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 03:56 (UTC) on Thu 5 Mar 2026

Northerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough for a time later in south.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Wed 4 Mar 2026

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southeast becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, then north 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough for a time.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: Northwesterly backing westerly, then southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Wed 4 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwesterly backing westerly, then southwesterly later, 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later in northwest.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northwesterly 5 to 7, backing westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough at first, moderate at times in east.
Weather: Rain, then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northwesterly 5 to 7, backing westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northwest.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough at first, moderate at times in east.
Weather: Rain, then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Wed 4 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwest backing southwest 4 to 6, then south 7 or gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Cyclonic becoming southwesterly later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, moderate or rough in south.
Weather: Rain, then wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Cyclonic becoming southwesterly later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain, then wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 03:56 (UTC) on Thu 5 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Wintry 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.