General situation
A complex area of low pressure currently lies across northern and western parts of the United Kingdom, but all areas will remain unsettled during the next 24 hours. Further heavy and locally thundery showers are expected, with a risk of hail, but gales across southeastern areas will gradually ease off.
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)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough to the west and north of Orkney, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first in south, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in northwest and slight in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast backing west or southwest, 3 to 5, then backing south or southeast later.
- Sea state
- Moderate in north, slight or moderate in south.
- Weather
- Rain for a time at first, otherwise showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 to 4 becoming south or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 4 or 5 backing southeast 3 or 4, occasionally 2 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in south, backing southerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 4 or 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6, then decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 3 or 4 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in east, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming moderate in east, then becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 becoming variable 3 or less, then southeasterly 4 later in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor until later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 2 to 4, backing east or southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, 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
- South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first, then decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor until later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4 backing south or southeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 4 to 6 veering southwest 5 to 7, then occasionally 4 again later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough near Land's End, becoming slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor until later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest backing southeast, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- 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 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in south, slight or moderate in north.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6 backing southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first near St David's Head.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6 backing south 3 or 4, then increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first and poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4, then east or southeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in south.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest backing south, 4 or 5, decreasing 2 or 3 for a time at first, then occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 or 5 decreasing 3 or 4, then backing southeast later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming south or southeast 3 to 5, then veering south or southwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth for a time in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest backing southeast, 3 to 5.
- 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)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, then veering southerly or southwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in North Channel.
- Weather
- Rain for a time at first, otherwise showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly backing southerly or southeasterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in North Channel.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth in shelter.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later near western Islay and western Tiree.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth in shelter.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4, then south or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less, then becoming southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4, then south or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate between Barra and Canna.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South backing southeast, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate between Barra and Canna.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in north, veering southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in north, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Friday 29 Mar 2024 at 0000 UTC until Friday 29 Mar 2024 at 1200 UTC
General situation
Area of low pressure over central North Sea, will move northwestwards, crossing northern Scotland during Friday. Associated trough will move away from Shetland Waters during Friday morning.
Forecast
- Wind
- Northeasterly veering easterly or southeasterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in northwest
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but very rough in northwest
- Weather
- Rain then showers
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Friday 29 Mar until 0000 UTC on Saturday 30 Mar
- Wind
- Southeast veering south, 3 to 5
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Moderate or good
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South to southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 4 to 6 by midday, further decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rather rough to rough in the north of the area, moderate with a low to moderate swell in the south, becoming generally slight to moderate with a low swell towards dusk.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps locally heavy with a risk of hail, becoming isolated by dawn.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, locally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South to southwest 3 to 4, perhaps occasionally 5 at first, backing southeast early afternoon, increasing 4 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate with a low swell.
- Weather
- Isolated showers, perhaps locally heavy.
- 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.
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