General situation
An area of low pressure to the west of Ireland will track close to northwest Scotland early on Tuesday with the associated weather fronts pushing through the coastal waters. A ridge of high pressure will then build in the north with a shallow area of low pressure moving into the Southwest Approaches.
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 veering westerly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in north, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in Moray Firth, but elsewhere moderate or rough, becoming very rough in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 at first, becoming south 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in south, mainly moderate or rough in north.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 5 to 7, veering west or southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally rough at first in north, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 4 or 5, veering south or southeast later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 5 or 6, veering southwest 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6 for a time, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming southwest 3 to 5, veering northwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly veering westerly or northwesterly later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly, veering westerly or southwesterly later, 2 or 3.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, backing south 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest, veering west or northwest later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in east, moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest, veering north or northwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 or 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest veering north or northwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in west, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 or 4, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers becoming fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 to 4, becoming north 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good becoming moderate or poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 5 to 7 veering southwest 2 to 4, becoming variable later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northwest 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 6 or 7 veering southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming north or northeast 3 or 4, backing north or northwest 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain becoming fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7 veering west or northwest 3 to 5, veering northeast 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in east, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 5 to 7 veering west or southwest 3 to 5, veering north or northeast 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in North Channel, backing westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in North Channel.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 6 to gale 8 veering west or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first near Tiree.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming north or northwest 3 to 5, then backing southwest later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight in shelter.
- Weather
- Showers then mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly veering westerly or northwesterly, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough near entrances.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough near entrances.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly veering westerly or northwesterly, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast veering west or northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later, then decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate later in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Tuesday 19 Mar 2024 at 0000 UTC until Tuesday 19 Mar 2024 at 1200 UTC
General situation
Deepening low complex to the northwest of UK pushing fronts across your area and maintaining strong to gale winds.
Forecast
- Wind
- South or southeast veering west later, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, moderate in lee shelter of shetland
- Weather
- Occasional rain
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Tuesday 19 Mar until 0000 UTC on Wednesday 20 Mar
- Wind
- West 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 3 to 5 later
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, moderate in lee shelter of shetland
- Weather
- Rain or showers
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly 3 to 5, decreasing 2 to 4 mid afternoon, locally variable 1 to 2 in the far south of the area.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate mid-channel until early afternoon a low to moderate swell throughout.
- Weather
- Patchy rain and drizzle likely after dawn, mainly in the far north and far west of the area.
- Visibility
- Good, perhaps locally moderate to poor after dawn.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 2 to 4, becoming variable 1 to 3 by midday.
- Sea state
- Smooth locally slight, with a low swell.
- Weather
- Risk of mist or fog patches small risk of a shower late afternoon.
- Visibility
- Good, perhaps occasionally moderate to very 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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