Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

Low southern Sweden 974 expected northern Scandinavia 987 by 1800 Thursday

Issued at: 23:30 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 26 Mar 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Fri 27 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 Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 9 at first, decreasing 3 to 5, backing southerly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing

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

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing

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

Forth

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, backing southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, backing southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing

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

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

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

German Bight

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, veering north 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Northeasterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

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

Northwesterly gale force 8 veering northeasterly soon

Wind: In south, northeasterly 6 to gale 8. In north, northwesterly backing southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: In south, rough or very rough. in north, rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: In south, fair . In north, mainly fair.
Visibility: In south, good. In north, good.

Sole

Wind: Northwesterly backing southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: Northwest backing southwest later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Fastnet

Wind: Northwest backing southwest later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Irish Sea

Wind: Northwest, 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Shannon

Wind: Northwest becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased, but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5, backing west or southwest 5 to 7 later, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high in northwest.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5, backing west or southwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally rough.
Weather: Wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 6 to gale 8 later, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally rough.
Weather: Wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, then southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high.
Weather: Squally wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, then southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high.
Weather: Squally wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, then southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high.
Weather: Squally wintry showers, rain later.
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.