Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

High FitzRoy 1037, dissipating

Issued at: 16:25 (UTC) on Tue 31 Mar 2026.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Tue 31 Mar 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Wed 1 Apr 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: Southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: West backing southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fisher

Wind: West backing southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind: West backing southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind: West backing southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Thames

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

Dover

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

Wight

Wind: Northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate, but poor at first.

Portland

Wind: Northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate, but poor at first.

Plymouth

Wind: Northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate, but poor at first.

Biscay

Wind: Northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate, but poor at first.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Mon 30 Mar 2026

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, backing northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, northeasterly 4 to 6. In north, variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly or southwesterly veering northwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: In south, moderate or rough. in north, moderate or rough.
Weather: In south, mainly fair. In north, occasional drizzle.
Visibility: In south, good occasionally moderate. In north, good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly veering northwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly veering northwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly veering northwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly veering northwesterly later, 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: Southwesterly veering northwesterly 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming rough.
Weather: Squally rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: Southwesterly veering northwesterly 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming rough.
Weather: Squally rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: Southwesterly becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, then northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming rough.
Weather: Squally rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Tue 31 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwesterly becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, then northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming rough.
Weather: Squally rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7 at first in southeast, otherwise northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Very rough becoming rough.
Weather: Squally rain then wintry showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Tue 31 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwesterly veering northerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in west, perhaps gale 8 later in southeast.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming rough in west, moderate or rough in east.
Weather: Squally rain, showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally rain then wintry showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 15:52 (UTC) on Tue 31 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 now veered westerly and decreased gale force 8

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first and perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Wintry showers.
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.