Coast and sea
General situation
The United Kingdom will lie in a showery northerly or northwesterly airflow during the next 24 hours, with strong winds affecting all areas and gales affecting parts of the east coast at times.
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
- Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering north 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough at first to the west and north of Orkney, otherwise mainly moderate or rough, but slight or moderate in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming southwest 4 to 6, veering northwest 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough later to the west of Orkney.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5 veering north or northwest 5 to 7, then north or northeast 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough for a time near Rattray Head and berwick-upon-tweed.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northeast becoming variable, 3 or less, then becoming southwest 4 to 6, veering west or northwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming northwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later, then veering north 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North 4 or 5 backing southwest 2 or 3, then increasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in far south, otherwise moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Showers then fair, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 or 3 for a time at first, then occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate for a time.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North 5 to 7 backing northwest 2 to 4, then southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight.
- Weather
- Showers then fair, then rain at times later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly 4 to 6 backing westerly 3 to 5, then veering northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6 veering northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 or 3 later, then becoming southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in far north, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in east, then decreasing 3 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly veering northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in east, becoming variable 3 or less later, then becoming southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming smooth later.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5 veering northeast 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 or less later, then becoming southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough at first near the Isles of Scilly, otherwise mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Lyme Bay.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5 veering east or northeast 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 or less later, then becoming west or southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in east, slight or moderate in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then fair.
- 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
- Northwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times, then becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less, then west 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in east.
- Weather
- Rain then fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate becoming good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 at first, becoming southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first near St David's Head, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain then mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later in Solway Firth.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then west or southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers then fair, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 or 6, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest backing west or southwest, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first in far north and smooth or slight later in south, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain for a time later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming west or southwest 3 or 4, veering west or northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in far north, but elsewhere smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly mainly 4 or 5, but 6 until later in North Channel, then backing westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in far north, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly backing southwesterly, 2 to 4, veering westerly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate except in far north.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later, then becoming south or southwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight or moderate, but becoming rough for a time in far north, and occasionally smooth just south and east of Skye.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 2 to 4 veering west or southwest 4 or 5, then northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight until later except in far north, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later, then becoming south or southwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time at first in far north, becoming slight later between Barra and Canna.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 2 to 4 veering west or southwest 4 or 5, then northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming northwest 3 to 5, backing north 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough at first in far west, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Tuesday 16 Apr 2024 at 1800 UTC until Wednesday 17 Apr 2024 at 0600 UTC
General situation
A low over Shetland waters clears south this evening with a weak ridge of high pressure then toppling in from the west on Wednesday.
Forecast
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in west, becoming northeasterly 4 or 5
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in west, otherwise moderate or rough
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first
- Visibility
- Mainly good
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Wednesday 17 Apr until 1800 UTC on Wednesday 17 Apr
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less in west
- Sea state
- Rough at first in west, otherwise moderate
- Weather
- Showers dying out
- Visibility
- Mainly good
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 5, locally 6 at times, veering north for a time tonight and tomorrow morning.
- Sea state
- Locally rather rough at first, otherwise slight to moderate, with a low and decreasing swell.
- Weather
- Isolated showers, mainly in the morning.
- Visibility
- Good, perhaps locally moderate at times.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 5, locally 6 at first, veering northeast 2 to 4 by dawn Thursday, becoming variable 1 to 3 by midday, then westerly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, decreasing smooth to slight, with a low and diminishing swell.
- Weather
- Isolated showers, perhaps merging into widespread rain for a time around midnight, but all clearing by dawn.
- Visibility
- Good, locally moderate or perhaps poor until dawn.
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.
Caution: The internet is not part of the Maritime Safety Information system and should never be relied upon as the only means to obtain the latest forecast and warning information. Access to the service may be interrupted or delayed from time to time, updates may also be delayed.
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