Coast and sea

Inshore waters and strong winds

General situation

A complex area of low pressure currently lies across northern and western parts of the United Kingdom, but all areas will remain unsettled during the next 24 hours. Further heavy and locally thundery showers are expected, with a risk of hail, but gales across southeastern areas will gradually ease off.

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)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
East or northeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough to the west and north of Orkney, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first in south, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough in northwest and slight in Moray Firth.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
East or northeast backing west or southwest, 3 to 5, then backing south or southeast later.
Sea state
Moderate in north, slight or moderate in south.
Weather
Rain for a time at first, otherwise showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

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.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Cyclonic 2 to 4 becoming south or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South 4 or 5 backing southeast 3 or 4, occasionally 2 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in south, backing southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South 4 or 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
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 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6, then decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly 3 or 4 becoming variable 3 or less.
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 in east, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Rough, becoming moderate in east, then becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 becoming variable 3 or less, then southeasterly 4 later in west.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor until later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southwest 2 to 4, backing east or southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate, 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
South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first, then decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor until later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest 3 or 4 backing south or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate in east.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South 4 to 6 veering southwest 5 to 7, then occasionally 4 again later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough near Land's End, becoming slight or moderate in east.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor until later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southwest backing southeast, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough in south, slight or moderate in north.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6 backing southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first near St David's Head.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6 backing south 3 or 4, then increasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first and poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4, then east or southeast 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in south.
Weather
Showers, becoming fair later.
Visibility
Good.

Isle of Man (12)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or northwest backing south, 4 or 5, decreasing 2 or 3 for a time at first, then occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southwest 4 or 5 decreasing 3 or 4, then backing southeast later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
Weather
Showers, becoming fair later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4 becoming south or southeast 3 to 5, then veering south or southwest later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth for a time in east.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southwest backing southeast, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4 becoming southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, then veering southerly or southwesterly later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in North Channel.
Weather
Rain for a time at first, otherwise showers.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly backing southerly or southeasterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in North Channel.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but smooth in shelter.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later near western Islay and western Tiree.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but smooth in shelter.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

The Minch (16)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
East or northeast 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4, then south or southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less, then becoming southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
East or northeast 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4, then south or southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate between Barra and Canna.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first in north.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South backing southeast, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate between Barra and Canna.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Shetland Isles (18)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in north, veering southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Very rough at first in north, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)

Strong wind warning

Valid Friday 29 Mar 2024 at 0000 UTC until Friday 29 Mar 2024 at 1200 UTC

General situation

Area of low pressure over central North Sea, will move northwestwards, crossing northern Scotland during Friday. Associated trough will move away from Shetland Waters during Friday morning.

Forecast

Wind
Northeasterly veering easterly or southeasterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in northwest
Sea state
Moderate or rough, but very rough in northwest
Weather
Rain then showers
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first

Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Friday 29 Mar until 0000 UTC on Saturday 30 Mar

Wind
Southeast veering south, 3 to 5
Sea state
Moderate or rough
Weather
Showers
Visibility
Moderate or good

Channel Islands (19)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South to southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 4 to 6 by midday, further decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Rather rough to rough in the north of the area, moderate with a low to moderate swell in the south, becoming generally slight to moderate with a low swell towards dusk.
Weather
Showers, perhaps locally heavy with a risk of hail, becoming isolated by dawn.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate, locally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South to southwest 3 to 4, perhaps occasionally 5 at first, backing southeast early afternoon, increasing 4 to 5.
Sea state
Slight to moderate with a low swell.
Weather
Isolated showers, perhaps locally heavy.
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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