Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Printable version

The general synopsis at 1800

Atlantic low 964 moving northeastwards expected approximately 200 miles west of Norway by 1800 Thursday

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

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

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

Wind: Southerly veering southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, veering westerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high for a time in north.
Weather: Rain, showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 03:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

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

Wind: Southerly veering southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, veering westerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high for a time in north.
Weather: Rain, showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough, occasionally very rough in north.
Weather: Rain, then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Gale force 8 now veered southwesterly

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

German Bight

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Humber

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Dover

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 03:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6 in north, veering northwesterly 6 or 7 later in far north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in northwest.
Weather: Rain later in north.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly easterly or northeasterly, 4 to 6, but 6 to gale 8 in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough southeast.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, cyclonic, mainly easterly or northeasterly, 4 to 6. In north, westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: In south, moderate, occasionally rough southeast. in north, moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: In south, fair . In north, occasional rain.
Visibility: In south, moderate or good. In north, moderate or good.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 15:54 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 15:54 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 15:54 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 15:54 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 15:54 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, veering northwest 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 4 to 6 for a time.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first in north.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 03:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 for a time.
Sea state: Very rough or high, rough at times in east.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 03:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Southwesterly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Southwest gale 8 to storm 10, veering northwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: High or very high, becoming very rough or high, then mainly very rough later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 03:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Southwesterly storm force 10 veering westerly and decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Southwest gale 8 to storm 10, veering northwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: High or very high, becoming very rough or high, then mainly very rough later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to 9, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high for a time.
Weather: Squally, wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 03:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Southwesterly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high for a time.
Weather: Squally, wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 03:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Northerly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally, wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or 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.