Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

Atlantic low expected Southeast Iceland 969 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 05:05 (UTC) on Sat 21 Mar 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Sat 21 Mar 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Sun 22 Mar 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, increasing 6 or 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fog patches, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Sat 21 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fog patches, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate at first.
Weather: Fog patches, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate at first.
Weather: Fog patches, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Cromarty

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forth

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Tyne

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Dogger

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Fisher

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches at first, otherwise fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor at first.

Thames

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: Northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: Northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 later south.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Sat 21 Mar 2026

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming easterly or southeasterly, backing northeasterly later in north, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate later.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: Variable, becoming northwest later, 2 or 3.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: Variable, becoming northwest later, 2 or 3.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in west.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Shannon

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6, veering westerly or northwesterly later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 04:41 (UTC) on Sat 21 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: In south, variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6, veering westerly or northwesterly later. In north, westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: In south, moderate or rough, becoming rough, occasionally very rough. in north, very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather: In south, occasional rain . In north, rain or showers.
Visibility: In south, good. In north, moderate or good.

Malin

Wind: Variable 3 or 4 at first, otherwise westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 04:41 (UTC) on Sat 21 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 04:41 (UTC) on Sat 21 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 soon then increasing violent storm force 11 later

Wind: Southwest becoming cyclonic later, 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming high or very high later.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally very poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Sat 21 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: West or southwest, 5 or 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 04:41 (UTC) on Sat 21 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 soon then increasing storm force 11 later

Wind: Southwesterly becoming cyclonic later, 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming high or very high later.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate to very poor. Light icing at first near iceland.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 04:41 (UTC) on Sat 21 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing violent storm force 11 later

Wind: Southwesterly becoming cyclonic later, 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming high or very high later.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate to very poor. Light icing at first near iceland.

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.