Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Sunday 22 March 2026

The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 23:30 (UTC) on Sun 22 Mar 2026 for the period 00:00 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026 .

There are warnings of gales in Viking, Forties, Cromarty, Rockall, Malin, Hebrides, Bailey, Fair Isle, Faeroes and Southeast Iceland.

The general synopsis at 1800

Atlantic low expected 100 miles west of Bailey 964 by 1800 Monday

The area forecasts for the next 24 hours

Viking

West 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, backing south or southwest 6 to gale 8 later. Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in north. Wintry showers, rain later. Good, occasionally poor

North Utsire, South Utsire

Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly 5 to 7 later. Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in North Utsire. Showers, perhaps wintry, rain later. Good, occasionally poor

Forties, Cromarty

West or northwest backing south or southwest, 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later. Slight or moderate until later in southwest Forties and Cromarty, otherwise moderate or rough. Showers, rain later. Good, occasionally poor

Forth, Tyne

West or northwest backing south or southwest, 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later. Rain later. Good, occasionally poor later

Dogger, Fisher, German Bight, Humber, Thames, Dover, Wight, Portland

Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5 later, occasionally 6 later in Dogger and Fisher. Moderate or rough in Fisher, slight or moderate in Dogger and German Bight, elsewhere smooth or slight. Mainly fair. Moderate or good

Plymouth, Biscay

North or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4. Slight or moderate. Fair. Good

Trafalgar, South FitzRoy

Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in far southeast Trafalgar. Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in southeast Trafalgar. Fair. Good

North FitzRoy

Variable 2 to 4. Moderate or rough. Fair. Good

Sole, Lundy, Fastnet, Irish Sea, Shannon

Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in Shannon. Rough or very rough in Shannon, moderate or rough in Sole and southwest Fastnet, elsewhere slight or moderate. Rain later in Shannon. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later in Shannon

Rockall, Malin

Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally gale 8 later in north Rockall. Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later, occasionally very high later in northwest Rockall. Rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor

Hebrides, Bailey

West 5 to 7, backing south 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 7 to severe gale 9 later, perhaps storm 10 later. Very rough or high, becoming high or very high later in Bailey. Rain or showers. Moderate or poor

Fair Isle

West 6 to gale 8, backing south or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later. Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough for a time. Wintry showers then rain for a time. Good, occasionally poor

Faeroes, Southeast Iceland

Westerly backing southerly or southeasterly, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 for a time at first, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 later. Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough for a time. Rain or squally wintry showers. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor