Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

Low Southeast Iceland 962 expected 200 miles northeast of Iceland 953 by 0600 tomorrow

Issued at: 11:30 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 09:54 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

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

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 09:54 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

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

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 09:54 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough, becoming very rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 11:16 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale 9 later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, increasing 7 or gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 11:16 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale 9 later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, increasing 7 or gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 09:54 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased but southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, increasing 7 or gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Gale warning: Issued: 09:54 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first and gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 09:54 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first and gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 09:54 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first and gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

German Bight

Gale warning: Issued: 09:54 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first and gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Humber

Gale warning: Issued: 09:54 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first and gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Thames

Wind: West backing southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind: West backing southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind: West backing southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: West backing southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Wind: West backing southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly backing southwesterly, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Wind: North or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate in far southeast, otherwise rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, westerly or northwesterly backing southwesterly, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times. In north, westerly 4 or 5, backing southwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: In south, showers. In north, occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West 4 to 6, backing southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West 4 to 6, backing southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased, but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West 4 to 6, backing southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high in southwest, rough or very rough in northeast.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 09:54 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: West 4 to 6, backing southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Gale force 8 backing southwesterly soon

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly soon

Wind: Southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high later.
Weather: Rain or squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 09:54 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

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

Wind: Southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 09:54 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly imminent

Wind: Southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first in north.
Weather: Rain or squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 09:54 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly imminent

Wind: Southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 in northwest.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high later in south.
Weather: Rain or squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 09:54 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly imminent

Wind: Southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 09:54 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: West 7 to severe gale 9, backing southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first in south.
Weather: Rain or squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 09:54 (UTC) on Wed 11 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Westerly 7 to severe gale 9, backing southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high until later.
Weather: Rain then 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.