Coast and sea

Inshore waters and strong winds

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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