Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

High German Bight 1025 expected latvia with little change by midday tomorrow

Issued at: 17:25 (UTC) on Fri 20 Mar 2026.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Fri 20 Mar 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Sat 21 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind: In southeast, southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first. In northwest, southwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: In southeast, fog patches. In northwest, mainly fair.
Visibility: In southeast, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Southwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in east, smooth or slight in west.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Southwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Dogger

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fisher

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Thames

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in south.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 22:58 (UTC) on Thu 19 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Fri 20 Mar 2026

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly mainly 4 to 6, but 6 to gale 8 in far southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers in south.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in west.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Shannon

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6 later in northwest.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough, occasionally very rough later in north.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Fri 20 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: In northwest, westerly backing southwesterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 later. In southeast, southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 for a time, then occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: In northwest, very rough. in southeast, rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Malin

Wind: Southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 for a time, then occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in southeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high in far north.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 09:45 (UTC) on Fri 20 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Southwesterly, backing southerly later, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Mainly moderate or rough in southeast, otherwise rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 04:52 (UTC) on Fri 20 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally rough in east.
Weather: Wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 22:58 (UTC) on Thu 19 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, backing southerly 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate to very poor. Light icing near iceland.

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.