Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Printable version

The general synopsis at midday

Low mid-Atlantic 1003, moving rapidly northeast, expected east of Iceland 982 by midday tomorrow

Issued at: 16:25 (UTC) on Mon 30 Mar 2026.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Mon 30 Mar 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Tue 31 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 15:57 (UTC) on Mon 30 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, backing southwesterly later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in far north, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers, occasional rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly backing southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in far north, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers, occasional rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, backing southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 15:55 (UTC) on Mon 30 Mar 2026

Westerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough, then slight or moderate later.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 06:40 (UTC) on Mon 30 Mar 2026

Westerly gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: West 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Tyne

Wind: West 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Dogger

Wind: West 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Fisher

Wind: West or northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough, then moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: West or northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, backing west 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough at becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, occasional drizzle later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Thames

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, backing west 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, occasional drizzle later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Dover

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, backing west 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
Weather: Showers, occasional drizzle later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Wight

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, backing west 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Portland

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, backing west 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Plymouth

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair, then occasional drizzle and fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Biscay

Wind: In north, northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later. In south, northerly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: In north, moderate or rough. in south, rough, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: In north, fair, then occasional drizzle and fog patches. In south, occasional rain.
Visibility: In north, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In south, good occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Sun 29 Mar 2026

Wind: North or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough ,occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, northerly 4 to 6. In north, northwesterly backing southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: In south, rough, occasionally moderate later. in north, rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: In south, occasional rain. In north, occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: In south, good occasionally moderate. In north, moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Sole

Wind: Northwesterly backing southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Lundy

Wind: Northwesterly backing southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Northwesterly backing southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough in west, moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate in east.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: Northwesterly backing southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Shannon

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Very rough becoming rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Rockall

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Malin

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Hebrides

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 15:55 (UTC) on Mon 30 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 09:57 (UTC) on Mon 30 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Northwest backing southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough in southeast, otherwise high or very high becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches for a time.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 03:45 (UTC) on Mon 30 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 veering northwesterly imminent, decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Northwest backing southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: High or very high becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches for a time.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 15:55 (UTC) on Mon 30 Mar 2026

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

Wind: Westerly becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: High or very high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers, wintry at times.
Visibility: Moderate or 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.