Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

Low just west of Bailey 965 expected 100 miles northeast of Southeast Iceland 956 by 1800 Wednesday

Issued at: 23:30 (UTC) on Tue 10 Mar 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 03:51 (UTC) on Tue 10 Mar 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: Southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, veering southwesterly 5 to 7 later, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 03:51 (UTC) on Tue 10 Mar 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: Southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, veering southwesterly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 03:51 (UTC) on Tue 10 Mar 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, veering southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally moderate in southeast.
Weather: Rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 21:52 (UTC) on Tue 10 Mar 2026

Gale force 8 veering southwesterly soon

Wind: Southerly veering southwesterly, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 21:52 (UTC) on Tue 10 Mar 2026

Gale force 8 veering southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Southerly veering southwesterly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 21:52 (UTC) on Tue 10 Mar 2026

Gale force 8 veering southwesterly soon

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

Tyne

Gale warning: Issued: 03:51 (UTC) on Tue 10 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 03:51 (UTC) on Tue 10 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Wind: South 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain and fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

German Bight

Wind: South 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain and fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Humber

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Portland

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: Southwest veering northwest for a time, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate at first in southeast, otherwise rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Wind: North or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate in far southeast, otherwise rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, northwesterly backing southwesterly later, 3 to 5. In north, westerly backing southwesterly, 5 to 7.
Sea state: In south, rough or very rough. in north, very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: In south, showers. In north, rain later.
Visibility: In south, good. In north, good, occasionally moderate later.

Sole

Wind: Westerly backing southwesterly, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Lundy

Wind: Westerly backing southwesterly later, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Tue 10 Mar 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Westerly backing southwesterly later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough occasionally high at first in southwest.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Wind: Westerly backing southwesterly later, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 21:52 (UTC) on Tue 10 Mar 2026

Westerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Westerly backing southwesterly later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 21:52 (UTC) on Tue 10 Mar 2026

Westerly violent storm force 11 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic becoming west, gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 at first, decreasing 6 or 7, then backing southwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first.
Weather: Rain or squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 21:52 (UTC) on Tue 10 Mar 2026

Storm force 10 veering westerly and decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic becoming west, gale 8 to storm 10, decreasing 6 or 7, then backing southwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first.
Weather: Rain or squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 21:52 (UTC) on Tue 10 Mar 2026

Westerly storm force 10, decreasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Cyclonic becoming west, gale 8 to storm 10, decreasing 6 or 7, then backing southwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first.
Weather: Rain or squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 21:52 (UTC) on Tue 10 Mar 2026

Storm force 10 backing westerly and decreasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Cyclonic becoming west, gale 8 to storm 10, decreasing 6 or 7, then backing southwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first.
Weather: Rain or squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 21:52 (UTC) on Tue 10 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8, veering westerly and increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming west, backing southwest later, 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high, becoming very high for a time in southwest.
Weather: Rain or squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 21:52 (UTC) on Tue 10 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8, veering westerly and increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming west, backing southwest later, 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high, becoming very high for a time in southwest.
Weather: Rain or squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:52 (UTC) on Tue 10 Mar 2026

Westerly severe gale force 9 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming westerly 7 to severe gale 9, backing southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high for a time.
Weather: Rain or squally wintry showers.
Visibility: 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.

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