Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Thursday 5 March 2026

The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 05:05 (UTC) on Thu 5 Mar 2026 for the period 06:00 (UTC) on Thu 5 Mar 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Fri 6 Mar 2026 .

There are warnings of gales in Viking, North Utsire, Trafalgar, FitzRoy, Lundy, Fastnet, Irish Sea, Rockall, Bailey and Southeast Iceland.

The general synopsis at midnight

New low expected Plymouth 1015 by midnight tonight

The area forecasts for the next 24 hours

Viking, North Utsire

Southerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later. Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later. Rain later. Moderate or good

South Utsire

Southeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later. Moderate. Fair. Good

Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Tyne, Dogger

Southerly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times. Slight or moderate. Rain later. Good, occasionally poor

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

South or southeast, becoming variable later in Portland, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Thames. Fair. Moderate or good

Plymouth, Biscay

Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough later in west. Rain later. Moderate or good

Trafalgar (issued 0015 UTC)

Cyclonic 3 or 4, becoming northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 in south. Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough. Rain, then showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy, Sole

Cyclonic 4 to 6 at first in east, otherwise northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time in FitzRoy, perhaps gale 8 later in Sole. Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first. Rain or showers. Good occasionally poor

Lundy, Fastnet

Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time. Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate in east Lundy, occasionally very rough for a time later in south. Rain. Good occasionally moderate

Irish Sea

Southeast becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, then north 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough for a time. Rain. Good, occasionally poor

Shannon, Rockall

Northwesterly backing westerly, then southwesterly later, 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later in northwest Rockall. Rough or very rough. Showers. Good, occasionally poor

Malin, Hebrides

Cyclonic becoming northwesterly 5 to 7, backing westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northwest Hebrides. Rough, occasionally very rough at first, moderate at times in east Malin and east Hebrides. Rain, then showers. Good, occasionally poor

Bailey

Northwest backing southwest 4 to 6, then south 7 or gale 8. Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high. Wintry showers. Good, occasionally poor

Fair Isle, Faeroes

Cyclonic becoming southwesterly later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in Fair Isle and later in Faeroes, perhaps gale 8 later in Faeroes. Rough or very rough, moderate or rough in south Fair Isle. Rain, then wintry showers. Good, occasionally poor

Southeast Iceland

Southwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later. Rough or very rough. Wintry showers. Good, occasionally poor