Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

Low 200 miles southwest of Iceland 961 losing its identity

Issued at: 17:25 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026 to 18:00 (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: 21:46 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later in northwest.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain at first in east, otherwise squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, veering southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor becoming moderate or good.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly 6 to gale 8 veering southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor becoming moderate or good.

Forties

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, then backing southerly or southwesterly later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, then backing southerly or southwesterly later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in northeast, slight or moderate in southwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forth

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, then backing southerly or southwesterly later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Tyne

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, then backing southerly or southwesterly later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Wind: In west, westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, then backing southerly or southwesterly later. In east, southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, then veering westerly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: In west, showers. In east, rain then showers.
Visibility: In west, good, occasionally moderate. In east, good, occasionally poor at first.

Fisher

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

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, then veering westerly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

German Bight

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, then veering westerly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Humber

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, then veering westerly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, then veering westerly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Dover

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, then veering westerly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Wight

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7 veering westerly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Portland

Wind: West 4 to 6, backing southwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Wind: West 4 to 6, backing southwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly in north but becoming variable 2 to 4 in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain, drizzle or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

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: Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly in north but becoming variable 2 to 4 in south.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high for a time in north.
Weather: Occasional rain, drizzle or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West backing southwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: West backing southwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough in south.
Weather: Squally showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: West backing southwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in north and east, very rough or high south and west.
Weather: Squally showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: West backing southwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026

Gale force 8 backing southwesterly soon

Wind: West backing south or southwest, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: High or very high, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Squally thundery showers, then rain.
Visibility: Poor, occasionally moderate.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent, then backing southwesterly soon

Wind: West backing south or southwest, 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state: High or very high, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Squally thundery showers, then rain.
Visibility: Poor, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026

Gale force 8 backing southwesterly soon

Wind: West backing south or southwest, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: High or very high, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Squally thundery showers, then rain.
Visibility: Poor, occasionally moderate.

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: West backing south or southwest, 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state: High or very high, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Squally thundery showers, then rain.
Visibility: Poor, occasionally moderate.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly imminent, then decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Southwest becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6 for a time.
Sea state: Very high, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Squally thundery showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Poor, occasionally moderate.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026

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

Wind: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in west.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming very high for a time in west.
Weather: Squally thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 now veered southwesterly and decreased gale force 8, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in south, then becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming very high for a time in south.
Weather: Squally thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026

Gale force 8 backing northerly imminent

Wind: Northeasterly backing northwesterly 6 to gale 8 until later in north, otherwise cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Very high at first in south, otherwise very rough or high.
Weather: Rain, snow or wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, 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.