Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

Low Sweden 974 losing its identity by midday tomorrow. High Atlantic 1036 dissipating by same time

Issued at: 17:25 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Thu 26 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased but northwesterly severe gale force 9 expected soon

Wind: Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: High becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: High becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: High becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 or severe gale 9 at times until later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high for a time in north.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: Northwest 6 or 7, decreasing 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Northwest 6 or 7, decreasing 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Northwest 6 or 7, decreasing 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: Northwest 6 or 7, decreasing 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, veering north 3 to 5.
Sea state: Very rough becoming rough, occasionally moderate later in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly northeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough except in southeast.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 03:47 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 veering northeasterly soon

Wind: In south, northeasterly 6 to gale 8. In north, northwesterly backing southwesterly in west, 3 to 5 ,occasionally 6 at first in east.
Sea state: In south, rough or very rough. in north, very rough, becoming rough later.
Weather: In south, fair . In north, fair.
Visibility: In south, good. In north, good.

Sole

Wind: Northwesterly backing southwesterly in west, 3 to 5 ,occasionally 6 at first in east.
Sea state: Very rough, becoming rough later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, backing west or southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, backing west or southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming slight or moderate later except in southwest.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing west or southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, backing west or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:47 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing west or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 04:54 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing west or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 ,then south 6 or 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased, but southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming south or southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later, then veering west later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, then southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, then southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026

Gale force 8 backing northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, then southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8 later, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers, rain later.
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.

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.