Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

High Tyne 1029 expected German Bight 1030 by midday tomorrow

Issued at: 17:25 (UTC) on Tue 3 Mar 2026.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Tue 3 Mar 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Wed 4 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Westerly backing southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Westerly backing southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Wind: Westerly backing southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Westerly backing southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, but slight at first in southwest.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Cromarty

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, backing south 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate later.

Forth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Tyne

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Dogger

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Fisher

Wind: West 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind: Northeast veering southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate later in north.
Weather: Fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Thames

Wind: Northeast veering southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth in southeast.
Weather: Fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Dover

Wind: Northeast veering southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Wight

Wind: Northeast veering southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Portland

Wind: Northeast veering southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Plymouth

Wind: East or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: East or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Tue 3 Mar 2026

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6 in east, but in west, northerly or northeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 for a time in southwest.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in east, rough or very rough in west.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 at first in north, otherwise cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: East 3 or 4, veering southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: East 3 or 4, veering southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, but rough at first in southwest.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: East 3 or 4, veering southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: Southerly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair then rain.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Tue 3 Mar 2026

Southerly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind: Southerly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in northwest, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough occasionally high in northwest.
Weather: Fair then rain.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: South 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough occasionally very rough later in northwest.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor later.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Tue 3 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor later.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Tue 3 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 veering southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally gale 9 at first, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: West backing south 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, but moderate in southeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 15:50 (UTC) on Tue 3 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Tue 3 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southerly veering southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough at first in north, otherwise rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain, wintry showers later.
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.