Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

Low 800 miles west of Rockall 959 expected 150 miles west of Bailey 961 by midday tomorrow

Issued at: 17:25 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Sun 15 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 09:58 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 increasing 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later in northeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 increasing 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming rough later.
Weather: Showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 09:58 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming rough later.
Weather: Showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 09:58 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in west, but in east, moderate, becoming rough later.
Weather: Showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Forth

Wind: West or southwest, backing south for a time, 3 or 4 increasing 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate, then becoming rough for a time later in northeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Tyne

Wind: West or southwest, backing south for a time, 3 or 4 increasing 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate, then moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate, then moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate, then occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first, then rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: Northwest backing west or southwest, 2 to 4, increasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Portland

Wind: Northwest backing west or southwest, 2 to 4, increasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Wind: Northwest backing west or southwest, 2 to 4, increasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: Northwesterly, backing southwesterly for a time in north, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Very rough at first in southwest, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Wind: West or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in south, otherwise rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers, then occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: West or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: West or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high later in northwest.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: West or southwest 3 or 4 increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fastnet

Wind: West or southwest 3 or 4 increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in west.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Irish Sea

Wind: West or southwest 3 or 4 increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight becoming moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Westerly backing southwesterly 4 to 6, then veering westerly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in northwest.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high or very high later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, becoming poor later.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 09:58 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, veering southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: West or southwest, backing south for a time, 4 or 5 increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough, becoming very rough or high, then very high later.
Weather: Rain or showers, becoming squally and perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 03:49 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West or southwest, backing south for a time, 4 or 5 increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or showers, becoming squally and perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Southerly severe gale force 9 expected soon

Wind: West or southwest, backing south for a time, 4 or 5 increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or showers, becoming squally and perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 09:58 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, veering southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: West or southwest, backing south for a time, 4 or 5 increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough, becoming very rough or high, then very high later.
Weather: Rain or showers, becoming squally and perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: West or southwest, backing south for a time, 4 or 5 increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough, becoming very rough or high except in southeast.
Weather: Rain or showers, becoming squally and perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: West or southwest, backing south for a time, 4 or 5 increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or showers, becoming squally and perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected soon, backing northeasterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5 increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later near iceland.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally moderate in north, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Rain, snow or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very 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.