Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Printable version

The general synopsis at 1800

Atlantic low expected 100 miles west of Bailey 964 by 1800 Monday

Issued at: 23:30 (UTC) on Sun 22 Mar 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 15:55 (UTC) on Sun 22 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: West 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, backing south or southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in north.
Weather: Wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: Showers, perhaps wintry, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers, perhaps wintry, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Sun 22 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West or northwest backing south or southwest, 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate until later in southwest, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Sun 22 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West or northwest backing south or southwest, 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate until later, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: West or northwest backing south or southwest, 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Tyne

Wind: West or northwest backing south or southwest, 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Dogger

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5 later, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5 later, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Thames

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in far southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6. In north, variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: In south, moderate or rough. in north, moderate or rough.
Weather: In south, fair. In north, fair.
Visibility: In south, good. In north, good.

Sole

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Lundy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fastnet

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in southwest, elsewhere slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Shannon

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Sun 22 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally gale 8 later in north.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later, occasionally very high later in northwest.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Sun 22 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Sun 22 Mar 2026

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

Wind: West 5 to 7, backing south 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 7 to severe gale 9 later, perhaps storm 10 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Sun 22 Mar 2026

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

Wind: West 5 to 7, backing south 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 7 to severe gale 9 later, perhaps storm 10 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming high or very high later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Sun 22 Mar 2026

Westerly gale force 8 backing southerly later

Wind: West 6 to gale 8, backing south or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough for a time.
Weather: Wintry showers then rain for a time.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Sun 22 Mar 2026

Westerly gale force 8 backing southerly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Westerly backing southerly or southeasterly, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 for a time at first, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough for a time.
Weather: Rain or squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Sun 22 Mar 2026

Westerly gale force 8 backing southeasterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Westerly backing southerly or southeasterly, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 for a time at first, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough for a time.
Weather: Rain or squally wintry 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.