Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midnight

Low 150 miles east of Iceland 981 expected Norwegian Sea 999 by midnight tonight. High 500 miles northeast of Azores 1039 expected just west of FitzRoy with little change by same time

Issued at: 05:05 (UTC) on Sat 28 Mar 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Sat 28 Mar 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Sun 29 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 15:48 (UTC) on Fri 27 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest, veering northwest, 6 to gale 8, then decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Very rough becoming rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

North Utsire

Wind: Southwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 15:48 (UTC) on Fri 27 Mar 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 15:48 (UTC) on Fri 27 Mar 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:48 (UTC) on Fri 27 Mar 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good.

Tyne

Wind: West or northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Wind: West or northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fisher

Wind: West 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: West 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: Northwest 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: Northwest 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Northwest 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Northwest 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in west.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: North 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in northwest.
Weather: Showers, occasional rain in south.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate in south.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 21:52 (UTC) on Fri 27 Mar 2026

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Sat 28 Mar 2026

Wind: Northeasterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 in far southeast.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:52 (UTC) on Fri 27 Mar 2026

Northeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: In south, northeasterly 6 to gale 8. In north, northerly, backing westerly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: In south, rough or very rough. in north, very rough becoming rough.
Weather: In south, showers. In north, showers.
Visibility: In south, good. In north, good occasionally moderate.

Sole

Wind: Northerly, backing westerly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in west.
Sea state: Very rough becoming rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Lundy

Wind: Northwest, backing southwest later, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: Northwest, backing southwest later, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in southwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Northwest, backing southwest later, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Sat 28 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwest, backing southwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high in north.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, becoming poor later.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Sat 28 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9, decreasing gale force 8 imminent, then backing southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Northwest, backing west or southwest, 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first.
Weather: Rain or squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Sat 28 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9, decreasing gale force 8 imminent, then backing southwesterly later

Wind: Northwest, backing west or southwest, 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first.
Weather: Rain or squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Sat 28 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9, decreasing gale force 8 soon, then backing southwesterly later

Wind: Northwest, backing west or southwest, 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first.
Weather: Rain or squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Sat 28 Mar 2026

Northwesterly storm force 10, decreasing gale force 8 soon, then backing southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Northwest, backing west or southwest, 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first.
Weather: Rain or squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Sat 28 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 veering northwesterly soon

Wind: West or northwest, backing southwest later, 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6 for a time.
Sea state: High or very high, becoming very rough later.
Weather: Thundery showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 04:53 (UTC) on Sat 28 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon, then backing southerly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first.
Weather: Occasional sleet or squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 04:53 (UTC) on Sat 28 Mar 2026

Storm force 10 decreasing gale force 8 soon, then backing southeasterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first.
Weather: Occasional sleet or 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.