Coast and sea
General situation
A ridge of high pressure lying across the southern half of the United Kingdom will bring mainly light or moderate winds at first, and also fair conditions for a time. However Atlantic fronts moving down from the northwest will bring an interval of rain to nearly all areas, along with fresh or strong west to northwesterly winds, which will reach gale force at times in the Shetland Isles on Thursday night.
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 to 6, occasionally 7 in north and east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate at first in south, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later near Orkney.
- Weather
- Showers until later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor until later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in east, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly 5 or 6 at first in south, otherwise northwesterly 4 to 6, veering northerly later, increasing 7 later in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in north and later south.
- Weather
- Showers until later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor until later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first near Rattray Head, decreasing 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest, veering north or northwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 6 decreasing 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest, 5 or 6, then north 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough later, occasionally very rough later in north.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 7 decreasing 5 or 6, veering northeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough, then slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly veering northwesterly, 5 or 6, then northerly 5 to 7 later, occasionally gale 8 later in northeast.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly 5 or 6, then northerly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then rain then showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly 4 to 6, decreasing 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough near North Foreland, becoming smooth later in west.
- Weather
- Showers, but becoming fair in west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in east.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly veering northerly or northwesterly later, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in east.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate for a time.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly veering northerly or northeasterly, 4 or 5, decreasing 2 or 3 later in west.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West veering northwest, 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in west, smooth or slight in east.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest, veering north or northeast, 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate at first in west, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly veering northwesterly, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in east.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in east, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, veering easterly 2 to 4, becoming variable later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly then northerly later, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, mainly in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West veering northwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, then northwest 5 or 6 for a time later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5, veering north 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- 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
- Westerly veering northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate in North Channel, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, decreasing 2 or 3, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Moderate until later in North Channel, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 until later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers until later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor until later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, backing westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwesterly veering northerly, 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers until later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor until later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in south.
- Weather
- Fair then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwesterly veering northerly, 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers until later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor until later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 5 or 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Thursday 18 Apr 2024 at 1800 UTC until Friday 19 Apr 2024 at 0600 UTC
General situation
A complex low north of Shetland slides away southeast across the North Sea later Thursday and on Friday while high pressure builds to the west.
Forecast
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 4 or 5 at first in east
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Friday 19 Apr until 1800 UTC on Friday 19 Apr
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8 veering north 5 to 7
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough
- Weather
- Fair
- Visibility
- Good
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West to northwest 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 5 by midnight.
- Sea state
- Smooth to slight, with a low swell, increasing slight, occasionally moderate overnight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, with a risk of patchy light rain from dawn until afternoon.
- Visibility
- Good or very good, perhaps locally moderate at times.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 5, veering northerly by late evening then northeast overnight, decreasing 2 to 3 across the north later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good or very good.
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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