General situation
A complex area of low pressure centred in the Southwest Approaches will become centred in the North Sea by tomorrow. This will maintain unsettled conditions throughout, with showers or longer periods of rain expected, although winds will ease across all areas.
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
- Easterly backing northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 or 4, then southerly or southeasterly later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in northwest, occasionally slight later in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 3 or 4, increasing 5 for a time in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in northwest, occasionally slight in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East backing northeast becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, then south or southeast later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in Firth of Forth.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast, 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming westerly or southwesterly, 4 to 6, backing south or southeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in south, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South veering southwest, 5 to 7, then backing south, 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
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.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly, 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- 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, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally slight later in east.
- Weather
- Thundery rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, backing southeast 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Thundery rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, backing southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, 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
- West or southwest, 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, backing south or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, backing southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in lyme bay.
- Weather
- Showers or rain, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in south, becoming southerly or southeasterly, 3 or 4, veering southwesterly 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally very rough at first in south, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally slight later in Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 or 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, then south or southwest later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in south, slight or moderate in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly becoming cyclonic, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in south, becoming southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rainn at times, showers, occasionally poor at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 3 or 4, backing east or southeast, 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeast backing northwest 4 or 5, backing south or southwest 2 to 4, then increasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Good, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, becoming mainly fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor becoming mainly good later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 or 5, soon increasing 4 to 6, decreasing south or southeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast 5 or 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south 3 or 4, occasionally 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate occasionally smooth in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in north chanel.
- Weather
- Rain at times, then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 3 or 4 veering south or southwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in North Channel.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast 5 or 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4, becoming south or southeast 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 5 or 6, becoming variable 3 or less, then southwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, backing southeast 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in west, decreasing 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but becoming slight to moderate in south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 3 or 4, then southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in north, slight or moderate in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 5 to 7, veering east or southeasterly 3 to 5 , occasionally variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north.
- Weather
- Rain, then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Thursday 28 Mar 2024 at 1800 UTC until Friday 29 Mar 2024 at 0600 UTC
General situation
An area of low pressure remains over the UK with associated troughs affecting Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- Northeasterly 5 to 7 veering easterly or southeasterly 4 or 5, except in far northwest
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough in northwest
- Weather
- Rain
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Friday 29 Mar until 1800 UTC on Friday 29 Mar
- Wind
- Northeasterly 6 or 7 at first in far northwest, otherwise southeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but very rough at first in northwest
- Weather
- Rain then showers
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South to southwest 6 to gale 8 with gusts to 50kt, soon decreasing 5 to 7, further decreasing 4 to 6 Friday afternoon.
- Sea state
- Rather rough to rough, locally very rough in the northwest at first, decreasing moderate to rather rough with a low swell in the south by midday, locally slight with a low swell in the southeast later.
- Weather
- Showers, locally heavy with a risk of hail and thunder at first, becoming isolated later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, locally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South to southwest 4 to 5 decreasing 3 to 4 by dawn, backing south to southeast by midday, increasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate with a low to moderate swell, locally rather rough to rough mid-channel at first.
- Weather
- Isolated showers, perhaps locally heavy with a risk of hail and thunder later.
- 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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