Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

Low 400 miles west of Bailey 971 expected Bailey 966 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 05:05 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Mon 16 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 09:58 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 09:58 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 09:58 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate at first, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate at first, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: South or southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair then rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair then rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair then rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 for a time later, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair then rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 for a time later, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair then rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 for a time later, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair then rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 for a time later, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair then rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: West or southwest 2 to 4, increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: West or southwest 2 to 4, increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: West or southwest 2 to 4, increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then west or northwest later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in northwest.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly, backing northeasterly later in west, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in far southeast, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in north. In north, westerly or northwesterly backing southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: In south, rough becoming very rough later in northwest. in north, rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: In south, occasional drizzle. In north, occasional drizzle.
Visibility: In south, moderate or good. In north, moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly backing southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate at first, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate at first, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

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

Wind: Westerly backing southwesterly later, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in northwest.
Sea state: Very rough or high, then becoming high or very high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 09:58 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, veering southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Cyclonic becoming west or southwest, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming high or very high.
Weather: Squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 imminent, veering southwesterly soon

Wind: Cyclonic becoming west or southwest, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming high or very high.
Weather: Squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026

Southerly severe gale force 9 veering southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Cyclonic becoming west or southwest, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming high or very high.
Weather: Squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 09:58 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, veering southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Cyclonic becoming west or southwest, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming high or very high.
Weather: Squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026

Southerly severe gale force 9 veering southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 becoming southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high, occasionally very high later.
Weather: Rain then squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026

Southerly severe gale force 9 veering southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 becoming southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high, occasionally very high later.
Weather: Rain then squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected soon, backing northeasterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 for a time near iceland.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high, occasionally very high later in south.
Weather: Rain, snow or squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally 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.