Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

New low in north sea moving northwards, expected central Sweden 974 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 05:05 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Thu 26 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased but northwesterly severe gale force 9 expected soon

Wind: Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased but northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased but northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough, but very rough or high for a time.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased but northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:55 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, veering northwesterly later

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain, then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain, then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Gale warning: Issued: 03:47 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic at first, otherwise northwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain, then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 now veered westerly

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally slight later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 now veered westerly

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally slight later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 now veered westerly

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 03:47 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale 8 continuing

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first in south and high at first in northwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Easterly gale force 8 continuing

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly northeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough except in southeast.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 03:47 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 veering northeasterly soon

Wind: In south, northeasterly 5 to 7, increasing 7 or gale 8 later in southeast. In north, northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in northeast, decreasing 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: In south, moderate or good. In north, good.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 03:47 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 03:47 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 03:47 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 15:55 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Gale force 8 veering westerly imminent, veering northwesterly soon

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 04:54 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: High, becoming very rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:47 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: High, becoming very rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 04:54 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: High, occasionally very rough, becoming very rough, occasionally rough in east.
Weather: Squally wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

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

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming very rough later.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Westerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent, veering northwesterly soon

Wind: North or northwest 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4, then south or southeast 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally rough in east.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Very rough or hig.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Northerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: In west, northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later. In east, easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, veering southeasterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: In west, very rough or high. in east, very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: In west, squally wintry showers. In east, 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.