Coast and sea
General situation
High pressure centred over the Baltic Sea initially driving mostly light winds across the United Kingdom for Sunday. It gradually becomes more unsettled as several thundery troughs arrive from the west. This is followed by a frontal band of rain in the southwest on Monday.
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
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in far east, caithness and Orkney.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in Moray Firth, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in Orkney.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in Moray Firth, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in far north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in firths of Forth and Tay.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in firths of Forth and Tay.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then rain and fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly veering southerly or southwesterly later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly, backing southeasterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less, then westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly backing easterly or southeasterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable becoming southwest, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southeasterly, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in west, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 to 4, becoming westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southerly or southeasterly later and increasing 6 or 7 in far west.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in west, veering southerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, becoming variable later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southeast 4 to 6 later, occasionally 7 towards Lands End.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, rain later in far west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor in far west.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in west, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in far east, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally rough later around Lands End.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers thundery for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 for a time at first in far south, then becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in south.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers thundery for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 2 to 4, occasionally variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast veering south for a time, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, and very poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 2 to 4, backing east or southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in far northwest.
- Weather
- Showers thundery for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast backing east, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in far northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers thundery for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly backing easterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first, becoming variable 3 or less for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in sheltered east.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or northeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in sheltered east.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
The Minch (16)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near southern entrance.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in Hebrides.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near southern entrance.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far west.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in Hebrides.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later in west.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor or very poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Sunday 12 May 2024 at 0600 UTC until Sunday 12 May 2024 at 1800 UTC
General situation
High pressure located over southern Scandinavia with low pressure becoming centred to south of Iceland. This will maintain a south or southeasterly flow over Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate
- Weather
- Fog patches
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor or very poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Sunday 12 May until 0600 UTC on Monday 13 May
- Wind
- South or southeast 5 or 6
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate, rough in west
- Weather
- Mainly fair, occasional fog patches
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor or very poor
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast or variable 1 to 3, veering west 3 to 4 by midday, locally 5 in the south of the area, backing southwest 2 to 4 after dusk and southeast 4 by dawn.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight with a low swell by evening.
- Weather
- Mist patches, isolated showers, and a risk of fog patches, clearing by dusk.
- Visibility
- Moderate to good, locally poor perhaps very poor at times.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 5, locally 6 mid-channel in the afternoon, decreasing 2 to 4 around midnight and veering southwest for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth to slight with a low swell, increasing moderate in the northwest of the area for a time.
- Weather
- Patchy rain becoming persistent and locally heavy in the afternoon, clearing around midnight, then isolated showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate to poor becoming moderate to good 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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