Coast and sea

Inshore waters and strong winds

General situation

An area of low pressure to the west of Ireland will track close to northwest Scotland 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 early Wednesday.

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
Southerly 5 to 7, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later in Moray Firth.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6 later, occasionally 7 later in north.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but moderate occasionally rough in north.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, veering west or northwest 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate occasionally rough at first in north, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Occasional rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 4 or 5, veering south later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5, backing southwest later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather
Occasional rain at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally moderate at first in north.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4 becoming south or southwest 3 to 5, veering northwest later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Occasional rain, showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or 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
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly, veering northerly or northwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwesterly 4 or 5, backing southerly 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly, veering westerly or southwesterly, then northwesterly later, 2 to 4.
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
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southwest 3 to 5.
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
Southerly or southwesterly, veering northerly or northwesterly later, 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time west of Lands End.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in west.
Weather
Showers, mainly fair later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

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 for a time.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly veering northerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time in west.
Sea state
Rough at first in west, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
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
South or southwest 3 to 5, veering north or northwest 4 to 6 for a time.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5 becoming variable 2 or 3, then north or northeast 3 or 4 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
Northeast 3 or 4 backing north or northwest 3 to 5, then backing southwest later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Occasional rain at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Isle of Man (12)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less, becoming north or northeast 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Mainly fair, occasional rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
North or northeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in west, backing north or northwest, backing southwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain, fair later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwesterly 4 to 6, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, then northeasterly 2 to 4, increasing 5 or 6 later in east.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in north.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northerly or northeasterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in east, then backing northwesterly, backing southwesterly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in north.
Weather
Rain, mainly fair later.
Visibility
Moderate or 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
Westerly or southwesterly, veering northerly or northeasterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in North Channel.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, smooth or slight in shelter.
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, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in North Channel.
Weather
Rain at first, mainly fair later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
North or northwest 3 to 5, backing south or southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, but slight in shelter, occasionally very rough later near Tiree.
Weather
Occasional rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

The Minch (16)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or northwest 5 to 7 decreasing 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 to 4 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 3 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but rough near entrances, becoming moderate or rough later, but very rough near entrances.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Good, becoming moderate or poor later.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or northwest 5 to 7 decreasing 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 to 4 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 3 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Good, becoming moderate or poor later.

Shetland Isles (18)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southeast veering west or northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough later.
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 0600 UTC until Tuesday 19 Mar 2024 at 1800 UTC

General situation

Complex low to the north of UK bringing fronts and strong to gale winds at first, clearing and easing later.

Forecast

Wind
South or southeast veering west, 6 to gale 8
Sea state
Rough or very rough, moderate in lee shelter of shetland
Weather
Rain or showers
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor

Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Tuesday 19 Mar until 0600 UTC on Wednesday 20 Mar

Wind
West 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north
Weather
Showers
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate

Channel Islands (19)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southerly 3 to 5, decreasing 2 to 4 by midday, locally variable 1 to 2 by evening, becoming mainly southeasterly overnight.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate mid-channel until late afternoon a low to moderate swell throughout.
Weather
Patchy rain and drizzle, mainly in the far northwest of the area until evening, then mainly fair risk of mist and fog patches, mainly coastal France overnight.
Visibility
Good, locally moderate to poor, perhaps locally poor to very poor overnight.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeasterly 1 to 2, becoming variable at times increasing north to northwest 2 to 4 by mid afternoon.
Sea state
Smooth locally slight, with a low swell throughout.
Weather
Risk of mist or fog patches, mainly coastal France until midday small risk of a shower late afternoon and evening.
Visibility
Good, perhaps occasionally moderate to poor, locally very poor at first.

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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