Coast and sea
General situation
High pressure centred to the west of the United Kingdom will bring mostly settled conditions to western and northern areas during the next couple of days. However a northerly airflow will bring patchy rain or showers to parts of eastern England, and initially also to southern England.
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
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 near Aberdeenshire and 3 in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 for a time at first in Moray Firth, veering north or northeast later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in north, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time except in far north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Showers then fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming variable 3 or less, then cyclonic 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 or 4 at first in far south, otherwise northerly 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Slight at first in south, otherwise moderate, but occasionally rough later in north.
- Weather
- Rain at times, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North 5 or 6 backing northwest 2 to 4, then west or southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly, backing southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough for a time near northeastern Norfolk.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly, becoming variable for a time at first, 2 to 4, increasing 5 or 6 later in east.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later near North Foreland.
- Weather
- Rain at times, then showers in far east.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later, then becoming westerly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate until later near North Foreland, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first in far east.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North becoming variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 3 to 5 later, then backing northwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 2 to 4 becoming variable 3 or less, then west 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly backing northwesterly, but becoming variable in east, 2 to 4, increasing 5 for a time in west.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in east, slight or moderate in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Mainly variable, but becoming northwesterly at times in west, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in east, slight throughout in west.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming north or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in west, smooth or slight in east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 2 to 4, backing west or northwest 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth at first in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5, backing north or northwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeast, backing northwest for a time, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in south.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast 2 to 4 backing northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeast 4 or 5 becoming variable 3 or less, then north or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 or 4 becoming variable 3 or less, then northwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable mainly north 2 to 4 backing northwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight until later except in far north, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in North Channel.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in North Channel.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate 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
- Cyclonic 2 to 4 becoming northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in North Channel, veering northeasterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate in North Channel.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeasterly becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in North Channel.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in North Channel.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 at times close inshore.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth in shelter.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
The Minch (16)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in far north, but elsewhere smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North 2 to 4 backing northwest 3 to 5, then veering north or northeast later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate in far north.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North 2 to 4 backing northwest 3 to 5, then veering north or northeast later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight for a time between Barra and Canna.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Tuesday 23 Apr 2024 at 0600 UTC until Tuesday 23 Apr 2024 at 1800 UTC
General situation
Ridge to west and low pressure across Scandinavia maintaining a northerly flow.
Forecast
- Wind
- North 4 to 6
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later in far east
- Weather
- Fair
- Visibility
- Good
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Tuesday 23 Apr until 0600 UTC on Wednesday 24 Apr
- Wind
- North 4 to 6
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in far east
- Weather
- Fair
- Visibility
- Good
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 1 to 3, becoming generally north 2 to 4 by midday, backing northwest during the afternoon, veering northeast after midnight, then becoming variable 1 to 3 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain and drizzle at times from mid-afternoon, dying out during the evening.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 1 to 3, becoming west or southwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Risk of isolated showers, mainly at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
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.
Please refer to GMDSS services, INMARSAT SafetyNET or international NAVTEX for the latest information. When using these web pages, always check that the page on your screen is not from your cache. Use the Refresh or Reload button if in any doubt.