Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

Atlantic low 984 expected 350 miles east of Iceland 963 by 1800 Sunday

Issued at: 23:30 (UTC) on Sat 21 Mar 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Sun 22 Mar 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 15:55 (UTC) on Sat 21 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly veering westerly or southwesterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later in north.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

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

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly veering westerly or southwesterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later in north.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly veering westerly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly veering westerly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in northeast, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly veering westerly later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly veering westerly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6 veering west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches at first, occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Dogger

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6 veering west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches at first, occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Fisher

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6 veering west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches at first, occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

German Bight

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

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Thames

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in west.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in west.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Lundy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fastnet

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in southwest, slight or moderate elsewhere.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Shannon

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly veering northerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 21:54 (UTC) on Sat 21 Mar 2026

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

Wind: In south, westerly or southwesterly veering northerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later. In north, westerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7 , then 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: In south, rough or very rough. in north, very rough or high.
Weather: In south, occasional drizzle. In north, showers.
Visibility: In south, moderate or good. In north, moderate or poor.

Malin

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, veering west or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high in northwest.
Weather: Rain then 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: Southwest veering west, 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high in northwest.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

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: West or southwest severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, decreasing 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: High or very high, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Rain then wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate to very poor.

Fair Isle

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

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: Southerly veering westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in northwest.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high,.
Weather: Rain then squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

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: Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, increasing severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, becoming westerly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming high or very high for a time.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate to very poor.

Southeast Iceland

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

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing violent storm force 11 later

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, increasing severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, becoming westerly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming high or very high for a time.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate to very 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.