Coast and sea
General situation
A deep area of low pressure centred near Shetland will move southeast to Denmark and Germany over the next couple of days, bringing squally showers and gales or severe gales across the inshore waters and storm force winds for some northern waters. Winds will then ease for all areas on Monday, but Atlantic fronts will move in from the west with further outbreaks rain developing.
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
- Westerly or southwesterly veering northwesterly, severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 at first in north otherwise 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- To the north and west of Orkney, high occasionally very high, but elsewhere, moderate or rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- To the north and west of Orkney, very rough or high becoming rough or very rough, but elsewhere, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering west, then northwest later, 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in Firth of Forth, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 or 6, backing southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in Firth of Forth, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Squally showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, backing southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, veering west, then northwest later, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, backing west 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, veering westerly 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough at times in northeast and far southeast.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly veering northwesterly, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north and east, becoming rough or very rough for a time near northeast Norfolk.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly, veering northwesterly later, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West veering northwest, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west, becoming very rough or high to the west of the Lizard.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6, backing west or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- West of the Lizard, very rough or high becoming rough or very rough, but elsewhere, moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in Bristol Channel and high in far southwest.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6, backing west or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough, then slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Squally showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate at first in north, becoming very rough at times in south and also later in north.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 or 6, backing south or southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Squally showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later, perhaps storm 10 later near Mull of Galloway.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest, backing southwest later, 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 7 or gale 8, veering northwest gale 8 or severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest gale 8 or severe gale 9, decreasing 5 or 6, backing southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly veering northwesterly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in north and also later in south, perhaps storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high in far north, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 at first, decreasing 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in north and moderate in south, becoming moderate or rough in far north and slight or moderate elsewhere.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly veering northwesterly, 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high near Mull of Kintyre, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in North Channel.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 at first in North Channel, decreasing 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in North Channel, otherwise moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West veering northwest, gale 8 to storm 10.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally rough in east and very high in northwest.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest, backing southwest later, 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in west, becoming moderate or rough in east and also later in west.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West veering northwest, 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough near north and south entrances, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 7 to severe gale 9, backing west 3 to 5, then southwest 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first near north and south entrances, otherwise slight or moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West veering northwest, gale 8 to storm 10.
- Sea state
- High or very high.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 7 to severe gale 9, backing west 3 to 5, then southwest 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- High becoming very rough, then rough later.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly, severe gale 9 or storm 10 at first in south otherwise 6 to gale 8, veering northerly 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first in southwest and rough in sheltered east.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Saturday 21 Dec 2024 at 1800 UTC until Sunday 22 Dec 2024 at 0600 UTC
General situation
A deep low just north of Shetland on Saturday evening will move east overnight before moving south near the Norwegian coast on Sunday.
Forecast
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwesterly 6 to gale 8, but severe gale 9 or storm 10 in south, occasionally violent storm 11 at first in far south.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high in southwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Sunday 22 Dec until 1800 UTC on Sunday 22 Dec
- Wind
- Northwest veering north 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough just east of shetland.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West to northwest 6 to 7, veering northwest 7 to gale 8 around midnight, occasionally with gusts to 50kt until later.
- Sea state
- Rather rough to rough increasing rough to very rough overnight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and drizzle with mist patches, clearing towards midnight showers developing, locally heavy with hail.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor at times.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 7 to gale 8, perhaps with gusts to 50kt at first, decreasing 6 to 7 by late evening, further decreasing 5 to 6 during Monday morning.
- Sea state
- Rough to very rough, decreasing rather rough to rough overnight, then slight to moderate later.
- Weather
- Squally rain or hail showers, becoming isolated overnight.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or 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.
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