Coast and sea

Inshore waters and strong winds

General situation

A strong west to southwesterly airflow will continue across the British inshore waters during the next couple of days, bringing gale force winds at times.

Issued at: 00:01 (UTC) on Fri 21 Feb 2020

For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 00:00 (UTC) on Fri 21 Feb 2020 to 00:00 (UTC) on Sat 22 Feb 2020

Inshore waters forecast and strong winds map

Inshore waters forecast explained

Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in Moray Firth, very rough or high to the west and north of Orkney, but elsewhere moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, squally later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state: Very rough or high in northwest, occasionally very high near northwest Orkney, elsewhere mainly moderate or rough, occasionally slight in Moray Firth.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in south.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair then rain at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later except close inshore.
Weather: Showers, wintry at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest 6 or 7, occasionally 5 at first, then increasing gale 8 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Westerly backing southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Fair then rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Westerly 5 or 6 backing southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in east.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming rough later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in east, decreasing 5 at times later.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Rain for a time.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: West 4 to 6 backing southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate becoming rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Rain for a time.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: West 5 or 6 backing southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough at first in east, otherwise rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers then fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 at times later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or drizzle at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: West 5 or 6 backing southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in east, but in west rough becoming very rough.
Weather: Showers then fair, then rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 at times later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough in east.
Weather: Rain, drizzle or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough except in Liverpool Bay.
Weather: Fair then rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later in north.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 5 at times later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough at first in north, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Isle of Man (12)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest 6 increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Fair then occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 5 at times later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming rough later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough in far north, but elsewhere moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in far north, decreasing 5 at times later.
Sea state: Mainly moderate or rough, but in far north rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far south.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough near the Mull of Kintyre, and also at first in far south.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state: Very rough or high, but rough in shelter.
Weather: Rain or showers, squally later.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: West or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high later near Tiree.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

The Minch (16)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Mainly rough or very rough, but moderate or rough in central areas.
Weather: Rain or showers, squally later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: West or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Mainly rough or very rough, but moderate or rough just north of Skye.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or showers, squally later.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: West or southwest 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high becoming high or very high.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Shetland Isles (18)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: West or southwest 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high in north, west and south, but rough or very rough in east.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good in east.

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

Valid Friday 21 Feb 2020 at 0000 UTC until Friday 21 Feb 2020 at 1200 UTC

General situation

A deepening Atlantic low will track close to the Faeroes on Friday.

Forecast

Wind: West or southwest 7 to severe gale 9
Sea state: Very rough or high, but rough to the east of Shetland and moderate in shelter close to the east coast
Weather: Rain or showers
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor

Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Friday 21 Feb until 0000 UTC on Saturday 22 Feb

Wind: West or southwest 7 to severe gale 9
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high in northwest, but rough in more sheltered waters east of Shetland.
Weather: Blustery showers
Visibility: Mainly good

Channel Islands (19)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Westerly 4 to 6, perhaps 7 mid-channel, backing southwesterly around dawn, occasionally 7 mid-channel from mid-morning, increasing 5 to 7 Friday evening, perhaps locally gale 8 mid-channel later.
Sea state: Rather rough to rough, but moderate in the south with a low swell.
Weather: Isolated light showers gradually dying out through the morning.
Visibility: Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, perhaps occasionally gale 8 mid-channel at first, decreasing 4 to 6 for a time in the afternoon.
Sea state: Rather rough to rough, occasionally very rough in the northwest until midday, but moderate in the south with a low to moderate swell.
Weather: Occasional rain and drizzle from dawn, with mist and a risk of fog patches during the afternoon.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor from dawn, perhaps locally very poor at times.

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.

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.