Coast and sea
General situation
A deep Atlantic low arrives in the Southwest Approaches later today, sweeping several frontal bands of rain across the United Kingdom and bringing strong winds to most of the western coastal waters. This low will be slow-moving Tuesday into Wednesday, while gradually filling.
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
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 2 later in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first and later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in firths of Forth and Tay.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, but fog patches in north, then occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in north and poor later elsewhere.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast becoming variable later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in firths of Forth and Tay.
- Weather
- Rain at times, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first and very poor later.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in north.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly veering easterly or northeasterly later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first in north.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in north.
- Weather
- Rain at times, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly becoming variable later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less at first in east, otherwise southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in far west.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in west.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly becoming variable later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first in far west.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 3 near shore.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far south.
- Weather
- Rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in far south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast, backing southwest for a time at first, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far west and slight in lyme bay.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later 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
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in north, backing southwesterly 3 to 5 for a time at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in west, but slight or moderate in east, occasionally smooth in the Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Rain, then showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in the Bristol Channel and rough near Land's End.
- 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
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in south, becoming variable 2 to 4, then easterly 4 to 6 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough near St David's Head and smooth in Cardigan Bay and to the north and east of Anglesey.
- Weather
- Rain, then showers later, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight except near St David's Head.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in west, decreasing 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate for a time.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, soon becoming slight or moderate for as time.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast, 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor at first.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first and 2 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, then fair, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in the North Channel, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in North Channel.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable, becoming easterly for a time, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, then fair, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly becoming variable later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in south and far west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later in sheltered east.
- Weather
- Showers, then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable, mainly easterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in sheltered east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, then fair, showers later in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
The Minch (16)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, then mainly fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, then mainly fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Monday 13 May 2024 at 1200 UTC until Tuesday 14 May 2024 at 0000 UTC
General situation
A southeasterly flow will persist across Shetland Waters. Atlantic trough will bring showers to area during the day
Forecast
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough
- Weather
- Showers. Fog patches
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor or very poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Tuesday 14 May until 1200 UTC on Tuesday 14 May
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough
- Weather
- Drizzle. Fog patches
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor or very poor
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South to southeast 4 to 6, decreasing 3 to 5 for a time this evening.
- Sea state
- Perhaps rather rough mid-channel at first, otherwise slight to moderate, with a low swell, increasing low to moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain and drizzle with mist patches, clearing eastwards by midnight isolated showers from dawn, mainly near the french coast.
- Visibility
- Moderate to good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South to southeast 4 to 5, locally 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, with a low to moderate swell.
- Weather
- Isolated showers or thunderstorms, mainly near the french coast.
- Visibility
- Good, locally moderate to poor near the french coast.
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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