Coast and sea
General situation
A ridge of high pressure extending over the south and southeast will maintain relatively settled conditions through Monday and into Tuesday. Atlantic fronts will bring some rain or drizzle at times to northern and western areas, along with a strong southwesterly wind which will reach gale force at times.
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
- Southerly veering southwesterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 at first in north and west.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in Moray Firth, elsewhere slight or moderate, but rough or very rough west and north of Orkney.
- Weather
- Rain at times, then showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 at times in northwest.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in Moray Firth and rough or very rough west and north of Orkney, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Rain at times, then showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Firth of Forth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers until later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in northeast.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, veering westerly 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly veering southwesterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South veering southwest later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate off shore.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest, occasionally variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly veering southwesterly, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in east, but moderate, occasionally rough west of Lizard Point.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly, occasionally variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but occasionally rough until later in west, occasionally smooth later in lyme bay.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 in east, veering southwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough until later in southwest, smooth later in Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in north, veering southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6 later near great orme head.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle or fog patches,.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly, but southeasterly at first in east, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in southeast, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight for a time.
- Weather
- Drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, backing south or southwest, increasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, risk of fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor later.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South veering southwest, 5 to 7, decreasing 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in south and northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
- Weather
- Drizzle at times, fog patches in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in south.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly veering southwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in North Channel, occasionally smooth later east of arron.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Mull of Kintyre and in south.
- Weather
- Drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, but slight or moderate in sheltered east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 later in north.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, but slight or moderate in sheltered east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South veering southwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first and later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later, occasionally smooth east of skye.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first and later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later, but smooth or slight until later east of skye.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South veering southwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first and later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first and later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering west later, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, high for a time in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Monday 13 Jan 2025 at 0600 UTC until Monday 13 Jan 2025 at 1800 UTC
General situation
A strong south or southwesterly airstream will affect Shetland Waters with Atlantic troughs clearing to showers later Monday.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in northwest
- Weather
- Rain at times
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Monday 13 Jan until 0600 UTC on Tuesday 14 Jan
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west later
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South to southeast 2 to 4, becoming south 1 to 3 overnight, occasionally variable.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight with a low swell.
- Weather
- Risk of mist near french coast Monday morning, and again overnight.
- Visibility
- Good, perhaps locally moderate to poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 1 to 3, becoming southeast 2 to 3 early Wednesday.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight with a low swell.
- Weather
- Mist patches near french coast risk of fog patches overnight, mainly near french coast.
- Visibility
- Good, locally moderate to poor, perhaps locally very poor overnight.
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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