Coast and sea
General situation
A ridge of high pressure will decline southwards across the United Kingdom on Sunday. This will allow an increasingly strong and colder northwesterly flow to spread steadily southwards later on Sunday and into Monday.
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
- Northwest 3 or 4, backing southwest 4 or 5, then increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough later in far northwest.
- Weather
- Showers, but rain for a time later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate in Moray Firth, and very rough or high in far northwest.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 or 3 at first in south, otherwise northerly backing westerly 3 or 4, backing southwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Rain at first in south, then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North 4 or 5, backing west 3 or 4, then backing southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, veering northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North 4 or 5, backing northwest 3 or 4, then backing southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, veering west 5 or 6, then veering northwest 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain for a time at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly backing northwesterly 4 or 5, then becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 5 or 6, then veering northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough later in northeast.
- Weather
- Rain for a time, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate for a time.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly backing northerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing northwesterly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in east, smooth or slight in west.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 or 4, backing southwesterly 5 to 7, then veering northwesterly 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Rain for a time, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate for a time.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North 4 or 5, backing northwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 or 4, backing west 5 to 7, then veering northwest 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Rain for a time, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate for a time.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first near Isles of Scilly, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but moderate in far west.
- Weather
- Showers in far west.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west 5 to 7, then veering northwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough in far west.
- Weather
- Showers, but rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate for a time.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in far west, becoming variable 2 to 4, then westerly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in west, smooth or slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers in west.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5, veering northwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough in west.
- Weather
- Showers, but rain for a time at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then west 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, veering northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming west 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West veering northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough, becoming slight later in Solway Firth.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North backing northwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, backing west 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West veering northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly backing westerly 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly veering northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time in far north.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly backing westerly 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Firth of Clyde.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly veering northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in North Channel.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight in Firth of Clyde.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North 3 or 4, backing west 4 or 5, then increasing 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough later in west.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West veering northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time in west.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 or 4, backing southwest 4 to 6, then veering west 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, but rain for a time later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West veering northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 or 4, backing southwest 4 to 6, then veering west 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, but rain for a time later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West veering northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough, occasionally high.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 or 4, backing southwest 4 or 5, then increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor later.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Saturday 24 Sep 2022 at 1800 UTC until Sunday 25 Sep 2022 at 0600 UTC
General situation
Ridge of high pressure will decline on Saturday night allowing a trough of low pressure to cross Shetland Waters during Sunday
Forecast
- Wind
- Northwest 3 or 4 backing southwest 5 or 6
- Sea state
- Moderate but slight over waters east of shetland
- Weather
- Mainly fair
- Visibility
- Good
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Sunday 25 Sep until 1800 UTC on Sunday 25 Sep
- Wind
- Southwest 6 or 7 occasionally gale 8 for a time, veering west 5 or 6 later
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming rough, occasionally very rough later in west
- Weather
- Occasional rain
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly 4 to 5, veering northeast this evening, perhaps locally 6 for a time, backing northerly 3 to 4 Sunday afternoon.
- Sea state
- Slight, locally moderate, becoming smooth to slight later.
- Weather
- Isolated showers, mainly in the south and east and perhaps heavy, mostly dying out by midday Sunday.
- Visibility
- Good or very good, occasionally moderate in the south and east.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 4, backing westerly 6 to 7 overnight, veering northwesterly by midday, decreasing 5 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth to slight, increasing moderate to rather rough overnight, then rather rough to rough Monday morning.
- Weather
- Rain spreading southeastwards overnight, locally heavy in the south, clearing around midday to isolated showers.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate to poor for a time, occasionally moderate later.
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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