Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

New high expected Faeroes 1020 by 0600 tomorrow

Issued at: 10:30 (UTC) on Wed 1 Apr 2026.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Wed 1 Apr 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Thu 2 Apr 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 03:50 (UTC) on Wed 1 Apr 2026

Northerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northerly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 later in west.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northerly, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southwesterly 4 veering northwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 03:50 (UTC) on Wed 1 Apr 2026

Northerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate occasionally rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 03:50 (UTC) on Wed 1 Apr 2026

Northerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming variable 3 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate occasionally rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 03:50 (UTC) on Wed 1 Apr 2026

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming variable 3 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate occasionally rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southwest veering northwest, 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate occasionally rough.
Weather: Rain for a time.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Southwest veering northwest, 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate occasionally rough.
Weather: Rain for a time.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Southwest, veering northwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain later, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind: Southwest, veering northwest later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southwest 3 to 5, veering north 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Thames

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southwest 3 to 5, veering north 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Dover

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southwest 3 to 5, veering north 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Wight

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Tue 31 Mar 2026

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in far southeast, but elsewhere moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, northeasterly 5 to 7. In north, cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: In south, moderate or rough. in north, moderate occasionally rough.
Weather: In south, fair. In north, occasional rain.
Visibility: In south, good. In north, good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in northeast, but elsewhere moderate occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: Northwest backing south or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Wed 1 Apr 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwest backing south or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, increasing 7 or gale 8 for a time later.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: North 4 to 6 becoming variable 3, then cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Wed 1 Apr 2026

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: North 4 to 6 becoming variable 3, then cyclonic 5 to 7 later, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Wed 1 Apr 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: Northwest veering southeast, 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:50 (UTC) on Wed 1 Apr 2026

Gale force 8 veering northerly imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming north 4 to 6, veering southeast later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Wed 1 Apr 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, veering northeast 3 to 5, then southeast 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough occasionally very rough.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Wed 1 Apr 2026

Gale now ceased but southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in north and high later in far west.
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.