Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Printable version

The general synopsis at 1800

Low 100 miles northeast of Iceland 955 losing its identity

Issued at: 23:30 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Fri 13 Mar 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 veering southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 veering southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 veering southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming, moderate or rough later.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in east.
Weather: Rain then squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southwest 7 to severe gale 9 decreasing 5 to 7, then 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

German Bight

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Southwest 7 to severe gale 9 decreasing 5 to 7, then 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Humber

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Southwest 7 to severe gale 9 decreasing 5 to 7, then 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Southwest 7 to severe gale 9 decreasing 5 to 7, then 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Dover

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Southwest 7 to severe gale 9 decreasing 5 to 7, then 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8 decreasing 5 or 6, veering northwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Gale force 8 veering westerly imminent

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8 decreasing 5 or 6, veering northwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Gale force 8 veering westerly soon

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west, then northwest later, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high in far west.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west, then northwest later, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high in far northwest.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Wind: Northeasterly 4 to 6 until later in south, otherwise westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in north.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Gale force 8 veering westerly imminent

Wind: In south, southwesterly veering westerly, then northwesterly later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north. In north, westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering northwesterly later.
Sea state: In south, rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first. in north, very rough or high.
Weather: In south, rain, showers later. In north, squally showers.
Visibility: In south, good, occasionally poor at first. In north, good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Gale force 8 veering westerly imminent

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering northwesterly later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8, veering westerly soon

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering northwesterly later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8, veering westerly imminent

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering northwesterly later.
Sea state: In northeast, rough or very rough, but elsewhere very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering northwesterly later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in south.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 veering westerly imminent, increasing storm force 10 soon

Wind: Westerly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first in north, veering northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 at times later.
Sea state: High or very high, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Storm force 10 veering westerly soon

Wind: Westerly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first in south, veering northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 at times later.
Sea state: High or very high, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southwest 7 to severe gale 9, veering west or northwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally rough in east.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent, veering westerly soon

Wind: Southwest 7 to severe gale 9, veering west or northwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 veering westerly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent, veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: West or northwest 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 for a time.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Very rough or high occasionally rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent, veering westerly later

Wind: In southeast, westerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7. In northwest, cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming northwesterly 6 to gale 8 in south.
Sea state: In southeast, very rough or high occasionally rough. in northwest, very rough or high.
Weather: In southeast, squally wintry showers. In northwest, wintry showers.
Visibility: In southeast, moderate or poor, occasionally good. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming northwesterly 6 to gale 8 in south.
Sea state: Rough or very rough in north, very rough or high in south.
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.