Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Printable version

The general synopsis at midnight

Low southwest Iceland 970 expected 100 miles east of Iceland 982 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 05:05 (UTC) on Fri 27 Mar 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Fri 27 Mar 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Sat 28 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Thu 26 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Thu 26 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly 4 to 6, veering westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: Southwest veering west or northwest later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Thames

Wind: Southwest veering west or northwest later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Dover

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Wight

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Portland

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Plymouth

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Biscay

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Fri 27 Mar 2026

Wind: North or northeast 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 03:55 (UTC) on Fri 27 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased, but northeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: In south, northeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later. In north, westerly veering northerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: In south, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later. in north, moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: In south, fair . In north, occasional rain.
Visibility: In south, good. In north, good, occasionally moderate.

Sole

Wind: Westerly veering northerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Lundy

Wind: Southwest, veering west or northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Southwest, veering west or northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in west.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: Southwest, veering west or northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 03:55 (UTC) on Fri 27 Mar 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later in north.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:55 (UTC) on Fri 27 Mar 2026

Westerly gale force 8, increasing severe gale force 9 soon, then increasing storm force 10 later

Wind: West or northwest 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
Sea state: High or very high, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Thu 26 Mar 2026

Westerly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high or very high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Thu 26 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing, veering and increasing westerly severe gale force 9 later

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high or very high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 03:55 (UTC) on Fri 27 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 veering and increasing northwesterly storm force 10 later

Wind: Southwest, veering northwest later, 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
Sea state: High or very high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 09:46 (UTC) on Thu 26 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 8 expected soon, veering southwesterly later

Wind: Southwest becoming cyclonic later, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high or very high, except in southeast.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 09:46 (UTC) on Thu 26 Mar 2026

Gale force 8 backing southerly and increasing severe gale force 9 imminent, veering southwesterly later

Wind: Southwest becoming cyclonic later, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high or very high.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 03:55 (UTC) on Fri 27 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 veering northerly later

Wind: Southwesterly, becoming cyclonic then northerly later, 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: High or very high, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Poor occasionally moderate.

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.