Coast and sea

Inshore waters and strong winds

General situation

A complex area of low pressure affecting the UK will maintain unsettled conditions throughout the forecast period, with showers or longer periods of rain expected.

Issued at:

For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period to

Inshore waters forecast and strong winds map

Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Easterly backing northeasterly 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic 3 or 4, then southerly later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough in northwest, occasionally slight later in Moray Firth.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in south for a time.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough in northwest, occasionally slight in Moray Firth.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
East 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming cyclonic later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight in Firth of Forth.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Cyclonic becoming south, 3 or 4.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in north, becoming cyclonic for a time, then westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5, decreasing 2 or 3 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southeast 5 or 6, veering southwest 5 to 7, backing south 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough for a time.
Weather
Rain or showers, thundery later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6 for a time.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers, thundery at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 later in north.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough for a time.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5 in north, 6 or 7 in south, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in south, occasionally smooth later.
Weather
Rain or showers, thundery at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 7 or gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6, decreasing 2 to 4.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, becoming south or southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first, occasionally moderate in east later.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally slight in lyme bay.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in south, becoming southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4, veering southwesterly 5 or 6 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in south, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally slight later in Bristol Channel.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in Bristol Channel.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
East or southeast 3 or 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, then south or southwest later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough in south, slight or moderate in north.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southwest 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in south.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly becoming cyclonic 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in south, becoming southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly 3 or 4, backing east or southeast 4 or 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Isle of Man (12)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southeast 4 or 5 backing northeast, then backing west, becoming south later.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather
Occasional rain, becoming mainly fair later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor becoming mainly good later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southeast 4 or 5, decreasing south 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, soon becoming slight.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
East or southeast 5 or 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming south 3 or 4, occasionally 5 for a time.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
East or southeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming smooth in Firth of Clyde.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 3 or 4 veering south or southwest later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in North Channel.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
East or southeast 5 or 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 3 or 4, becoming south or southeast 4 or 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

The Minch (16)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
East or northeast 5 or 6, becoming variable 3 or less, then southwest 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southwest 3 to 5, backing southeast 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Easterly or northeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in west, decreasing 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later in north.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in north.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 3 or 4, then southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Shetland Isles (18)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Easterly 4 or 5 backing northeasterly 5 to 7, veering southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)

Strong wind warning

Valid Thursday 28 Mar 2024 at 1200 UTC until Friday 29 Mar 2024 at 0000 UTC

General situation

An area of low pressure remains over the UK. Associated troughs will affect Shetland Waters this evening and on Friday.

Forecast

Wind
Easterly 4 or 5 backing northeasterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 later in far southeast
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in north
Weather
Fair then rain
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate or poor later

Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Friday 29 Mar until 1200 UTC on Friday 29 Mar

Wind
Northeast 5 to 7 veering southeast 3 to 5
Sea state
Rough or very rough but moderate just southwest of shetland
Weather
Rain then showers
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor

Channel Islands (19)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South to southwest 7 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 with gusts to 60kt, especially in the northwest of the area, decreasing 5 to 7 this evening.
Sea state
Rough to very rough, high north of guernsey, decreasing overnight moderate in the south rough in the north but with swell.
Weather
Occasional rain or showers, heavy at times with a risk of hail and thunder, becoming isolated later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South to southwest 5 to 6, perhaps f7 mid channel at first, decreasing 4 to 6 Friday afternoon, then 3 to 5 Saturday morning, backing south to southeast by midday.
Sea state
Rather rough to rough in the northwest until midnight, otherwise slight to moderate with a low to moderate swell.
Weather
Isolated showers, locally heavy with a risk of hail and thunder.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor.

The inshore waters forecast information

Forecasts for UK inshore waters are issued four times a day and cover a period of 24 hours from 0000, 0600, 1200 and 1800 UTC.

The coastal waters around the British Isles are divided into 19 areas which extend up to 12 nautical miles offshore.

The forecast contains details of wind direction and force, sea state, weather and visibility.

Strong coastal winds (force 6 or more) are displayed for the first 24 hours of the inshore waters forecast.

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.