Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

New low expected Fisher 982 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 05:05 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Wed 25 Mar 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, veering southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, veering northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high for a time in north.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 03:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Southerly severe gale 9 veering southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high for a time in north.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough for a time.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Gale force 8 now veered southwesterly

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate for a time.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate for a time.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, veering northwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate until later, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, veering northwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate until later, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, veering northwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later, veering west or northwest later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Humber

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later, veering west or northwest later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later, veering west or northwest later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Dover

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later, veering west or northwest later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later, veering west or northwest later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later, veering west or northwest later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later, veering west or northwest later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 03:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later in south, and gale 8 later in north.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming moderate or rough in south, but very rough or high later in north.
Weather: Rain in north.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly easterly or northeasterly, 4 to 6, but 6 to gale 8 in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough southeast.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, cyclonic, mainly easterly or northeasterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first and 7 later. In north, westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, veering northwesterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: In south, moderate, occasionally rough at first, becoming mainly rough later. in north, moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: In south, fair . In north, occasional rain.
Visibility: In south, good. In north, moderate or good.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 15:54 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, veering west or northwest 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain, then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 15:54 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, veering west or northwest 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain, then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 15:54 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, veering west or northwest 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain, then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 15:54 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, veering west or northwest 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first.
Weather: Rain, then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 15:54 (UTC) on Mon 23 Mar 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, veering west then northwest later, 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6, veering northwest 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 03:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6, veering northwest 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, rough at times in east.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 03:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Southwesterly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, decreasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 03:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Southwesterly storm force 10 veering westerly and decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, decreasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to 9, decreasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 03:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Southwesterly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, decreasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 03:53 (UTC) on Tue 24 Mar 2026

Northerly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, decreasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers.
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.