Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

High German Bight 1031 expected poland 1029 by 0600 tomorrow. New low expected FitzRoy 1011 by same time

Issued at: 11:30 (UTC) on Wed 4 Mar 2026.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Wed 4 Mar 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Thu 5 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: South 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Wind: Southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southeasterly 5 or 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: South 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Wind: South 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forth

Wind: South 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Tyne

Wind: South 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Wind: South 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Fog patches in east.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in east.

German Bight

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

Humber

Wind: Southeast 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Thames

Wind: Southeast 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Dover

Wind: Southeast 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Wight

Wind: Southeast 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Portland

Wind: Southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Wind: Southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: Southeast, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 09:47 (UTC) on Wed 4 Mar 2026

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Wed 4 Mar 2026

Wind: Northerly backing northwesterly later, 4 to 6, but variable 2 to 4 in far southeast.
Sea state: Very rough at first in south, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers in south, rain later in northwest.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first in south.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 09:47 (UTC) on Wed 4 Mar 2026

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, then northerly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in west.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: South becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, then northwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in west.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: Southeast 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate later.

Fastnet

Wind: South or southeast 4 or 5, veering northwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate later.

Irish Sea

Wind: Southeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: Southwest veering northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Rain, showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: Southwest veering northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Rain, showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: South or southwest, veering northwest later, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough in west, moderate or rough in east.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: South or southwest, veering northwest later, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, but moderate or rough in far southeast.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming southwest later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain, wintry showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southwest backing south 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough in northwest, moderate or rough in southeast.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: 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.