Coast and sea
General situation
A ridge of high pressure extends westwards across the British Isles giving predominantly fine and settled conditions for much of the inshore waters with generally light winds, but strong easterly or northeasterly winds will affect southern coastlines at times. Thundery showers are possible across southern waters later on Friday.
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
- Variable becoming east or southeast, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later near Cape Wrath.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in north.
- Weather
- Fog patches, drizzle later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable, mainly east or southeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth.
- Weather
- Drizzle and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable becoming east or northeast later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth becoming slight.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable, mainly northeast, becoming east or northeast later, 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or northeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth at first.
- Weather
- Drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or northeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate for a time.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers later, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight later.
- 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
- East or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in west.
- Weather
- Showers later, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 or 4, possibly 5 around far north for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 or 4, increasing 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable, mainly northeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- 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 northeasterly 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
The Minch (16)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable, mainly northeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable, mainly northeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first, and smooth later in smooth.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Thursday 19 Sep 2024 at 1200 UTC until Friday 20 Sep 2024 at 0000 UTC
General situation
Ridge of high pressure will cover Shetland Waters
Forecast
- Wind
- Variable 2 or 3.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, occasional drizzle and mist patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Friday 20 Sep until 1200 UTC on Friday 20 Sep
- Wind
- East or southeast 2 or 3.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional mist and drizzle, risk of fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor or very poor.
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, occasionally rather rough in the north and west.
- Weather
- Occasional haze or mist, mainly overnight.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 5, veering east to southeast 3 to 4 overnight, occasionally 2 in the east of the area later.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, decreasing smooth to slight overnight.
- Weather
- Haze or mist at times a risk of thundery showers, mainly overnight.
- 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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