Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

Low mid-Atlantic 966 moving rapidly northeast, expected just north of Faeroes 963 by 0600 tomorrow

Issued at: 11:30 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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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: Southwesterly 4 or 5, backing southerly 6 to gale 8, veering southwesterly later, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high later in north.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 03:49 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly 4 or 5, backing southerly 6 to gale 8, veering southwesterly later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high later in north.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Westerly backing southerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Sun 22 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate at first in southwest, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Sun 22 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

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

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Tyne

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

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

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

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: In west, westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later. In east, variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: In west, slight or moderate. in east, slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: In west, occasional rain. In east, fair then occasional rain.
Visibility: In west, good, occasionally moderate. In east, moderate or poor becoming moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair then occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor becoming moderate or good.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair then occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor becoming moderate or good.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair then occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor becoming moderate or good.

Thames

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or poor becoming moderate or good.

Dover

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or poor becoming moderate or good.

Wight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6 later in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

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

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in far southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Sole

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5 increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Lundy

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5 increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fastnet

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5 increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5 increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Shannon

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming high later in north.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Rockall

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

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing storm force 10 soon

Wind: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 to storm 10 for a time in north.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high, then very high for a time in north.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 03:49 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

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

Gale force 8 veering southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 imminent, increasing storm force 10 later

Wind: South 7 to severe gale 9, veering southwest gale 8 to storm 10, then west 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Very rough becoming high or very high.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

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

Gale force 8 veering southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 imminent, increasing storm force 10 soon

Wind: South 7 to severe gale 9, veering southwest gale 8 to storm 10, then west 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Very rough becoming high or very high.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:49 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

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

Wind: South or southwest 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Moderate or rough at first in southeast, otherwise rough or very rough, becoming high or very high later except in southeast.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

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

Southerly severe gale force 9 imminent, veering southwesterly soon, increasing storm force 10 later

Wind: South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high or very high later.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

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

Easterly severe gale force 9 imminent, backing northeasterly soon, backing northerly and increasing storm force 10 later

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later in north.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain, snow and wintry 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.