Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Monday 23 March 2026

The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, 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 .

There are warnings of gales in Viking, North Utsire, Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Tyne, Dogger, Trafalgar, Rockall, Malin, Hebrides, Bailey, Fair Isle, Faeroes and Southeast Iceland.

The general synopsis at 0600

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

The area forecasts for the next 24 hours

Viking, North Utsire

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

South Utsire, Forties, Cromarty

Westerly at first in South Utsire, otherwise southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in Forties and Cromarty. Slight or moderate at first in southwest Forties and Cromarty, otherwise moderate or rough. Rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor

Forth, Tyne, West Dogger

Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in Forth. Occasional rain. Good, occasionally moderate

East Dogger, Fisher, German Bight, Humber, Thames, Dover

Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6, but 5 to 7 in Fisher. Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough in east Dogger, Fisher and German Bight, smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate elsewhere. Fair then occasional rain except in Thames and Dover. Moderate or poor becoming moderate or good

Wight, Portland, Plymouth, Biscay

Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6 later except in south Biscay. Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate in Wight and Portland, slight or moderate elsewhere. Mainly fair. Moderate or good, occasionally poor in Wight and Portland

Trafalgar (issued 0015 UTC)

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

FitzRoy

Cyclonic 4 to 6. Moderate or rough. Occasional rain. Good, occasionally moderate

Sole, Lundy, Fastnet, Irish Sea, Shannon

Southwest 5 to 7, but 3 to 5 at first except in Shannon. In Sole and Fastnet moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough later, in Lundy and Irish Sea slight or moderate, in Shannon rough or very rough becoming high later in north. Occasional rain. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later in Irish Sea and Shannon

Rockall, Malin

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

Hebrides, Bailey

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

Fair Isle, Faeroes

South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, but 5 to 7 at first in Fair Isle, occasionally storm 10 later in Faeroes. Moderate or rough at first in southeast Fair Isle, otherwise rough or very rough, becoming high or very high later except in southeast Fair Isle. Rain then squally showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor

Southeast Iceland

Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later in north. Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high. Rain, snow and wintry showers. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor