Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

Low just northeast of Iceland 958 slow-moving, filling 973 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 05:05 (UTC) on Fri 13 Mar 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Fri 13 Mar 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 veering southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming mainly rough later.
Weather: Rain or squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming mainly rough later.
Weather: Rain or squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming mainly rough later.
Weather: Rain or squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering west or northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering west or northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering west or northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering west or northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering west or northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

German Bight

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Humber

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6, veering northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming mainly slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6, veering northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming mainly slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Dover

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6, veering northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming mainly slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6, veering northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming mainly slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Gale force 8 veering westerly imminent

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Gale force 8 veering westerly soon

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in far west.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Fri 13 Mar 2026

Wind: Northeasterly 4 to 6 until later in south, otherwise westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in north.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high in north, but elsewhere rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Gale force 8 veering westerly imminent

Wind: West or southwest veering west or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8, veering westerly soon

Wind: West or southwest veering west or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8, veering westerly imminent

Wind: West or southwest veering west or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: In southwest, very rough or high, but in northeast, rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West or southwest veering west or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 03:50 (UTC) on Fri 13 Mar 2026

Westerly storm force 10 now decreased severe gale force 9, decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West or northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first in north, becoming mainly very rough later.
Weather: Squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good later.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:50 (UTC) on Fri 13 Mar 2026

Westerly storm force 10 now decreased severe gale force 9, decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West or northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first in south, becoming mainly very rough later.
Weather: Squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good later.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 03:50 (UTC) on Fri 13 Mar 2026

Gale force 8 veering westerly imminent

Wind: West or northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming mainly very rough later.
Weather: Squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good later.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

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

Wind: West or northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming mainly very rough later.
Weather: Squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good later.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Severe gale force 9 veering westerly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent, veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: West or northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming mainly very rough later.
Weather: Squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good later.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally rough in southeast.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 03:50 (UTC) on Fri 13 Mar 2026

Gale now ceased but westerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Westerly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time in south.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally rough in northeast.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Thu 12 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Mainly westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8 until later in south and far west, otherwise cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high in south.
Weather: Wintry showers, squally at times.
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.