Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

High Humber 1029 dissipating

Issued at: 17:25 (UTC) on Sat 7 Mar 2026.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Sat 7 Mar 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Sun 8 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: South 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

North Utsire

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair, then occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in east, smooth or slight in west.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind: South or southwest, backing southeast later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind: South or southwest, backing southeast later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair, then occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fisher

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Thames

Wind: East or northeast 3 or 4, decreasing 2 at times.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Dover

Wind: East or northeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, then decreasing 2 at times.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Wight

Wind: East or northeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, then decreasing 2 at times.
Sea state: Smooth or slight in southeast, slight or moderate in northwest.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Portland

Wind: East or northeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, then decreasing 2 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Plymouth

Wind: East or northeast, veering southeast later, 3 or 4, decreasing 2 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Biscay

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Sat 7 Mar 2026

Wind: Variable 4 in far southeast, otherwise northerly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In southeast, northerly mainly 3 to 5, but 6 at first in far southeast, becoming variable 2 to 4 later. In northwest, variable 2 to 4 in east, elsewhere southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, but veering northwesterly 3 to 5 later in west.
Sea state: Mainly rough, but very rough at first in far northwest.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: In southeast, good, occasionally moderate. In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 in east, elsewhere southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, but veering northwesterly 3 to 5 later in west.
Sea state: Very rough at first in west, otherwise rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in north and rough in south.
Weather: Occasional rain and fog patches in east, mainly fair in west.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in east.

Fastnet

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 2 in east.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in far west.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 2 in east.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Very rough, becoming rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Very rough, becoming rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Very rough, becoming rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: High at first in far northwest, otherwise very rough, becoming rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northwest.
Sea state: High at first except in far south, otherwise very rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in southeast, but in northwest, very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, then becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 or 5, backing southerly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: High, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or 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.