Coast and sea

Inshore waters and strong winds

General situation

Further strong winds and gales expected on Sunday as a new low approaches bring rain and showers from the west. Winds ease off on Monday morning but strong winds expected to continue in the west.

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
Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northwest.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in east.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Easterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in east, veering southeasterly 3 or 4 later in south.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in east.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Cyclonic, mainly east or northeast, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough near Rattray Head.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northeast 4 to 6, veering southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first near Rattray Head.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
North or northwest 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 3 to 5 ,then veering southeast later.
Sea state
Moderate.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, backing southerly 3 to 5, then veering southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south, then becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 at times nearshore.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first offshore.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in the wash and Thames estuary.
Weather
Rain for a time.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 at times nearshore.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first offshore.
Weather
Fair,then rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 at times nearshore.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Rain for a time.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough offshore, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Showers later.
Visibility
Good.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state
Very rough, occasionally high later in west, moderate or rough in east.
Weather
Thundery showers at first, rain for a time.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 at times.
Sea state
In west, rough or very rough, occasionally high in far west, in east, moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, but slight or moderate in Bristol Channel, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather
Thundery showers at first, then fair, then rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing south or southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate in Bristol Channel, otherwise rough or very rough, occasionally high in west.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West 6 to gale 8, backing south or southwest 4 to 6, then increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in north and high in southwest later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West or southwest 6 to gale 8, backing south 3 to 5, then increasing 6 or 7 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in southwest, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Westerly 6 to gale 8, backing southeasterly 3 to 5, then veering westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 in south, becoming northwesterly 4 to 6, then backing easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in south and smooth later in north.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Isle of Man (12)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or southwest 5 to 7, backing southeast 4 to 6, then veering 5 to 7 later west or southwest 5 to 7, soon backing southeast 4 to 6, veering southwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northwest 5 or 6, backing southwest 3 to 5, then backing southeast 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate.
Weather
Showers, then rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Westerly 6 to gale 8, backing southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, then becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state
Moderate or roug, occasionally very rough in north, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 3 or less, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then southeast 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in south.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

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 6 to gale 8, backing southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, then backing northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in North Channel.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northeasterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, then becoming southeasterly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in North Channel.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Westerly backing southerly, then easterly later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in south.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Easterly 2 to 4, veering southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in west.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

The Minch (16)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly, 3 to 5, becoming easterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in south.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in south.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Cyclonic becoming east 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in west.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Shetland Isles (18)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
East or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

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

Strong wind warning

Valid Sunday 10 Dec 2023 at 0000 UTC until Sunday 10 Dec 2023 at 1200 UTC

General situation

Complex deep low over central UK, maintaining an east or southeasterly flow over Shetland waters.

Forecast

Wind
East or southeast 4 to 6
Sea state
Moderate or rough, but slight in lee shelter of shetland
Weather
Occasional rain
Visibility
Moderate or good

Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Sunday 10 Dec until 0000 UTC on Monday 11 Dec

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6
Sea state
Moderate or rough, but slight in lee shelter of shetland
Weather
Showers at first, then mainly fair
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate at first

Channel Islands (19)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West 6 to 7, backing southwest 5 to 6 overnight, occasionally 7 in the north of the area during the afternoon and again late evening.
Sea state
Rough to very rough, decreasing moderate to rough overnight, by evening becoming very rough in the north of the area.
Weather
Mainly fair rain by late morning, clearing by afternoon isolated showers later.
Visibility
Mainly good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest to west 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in the north of the area, decreasing 3 to 4 during the morning, backing south 4 to 5 by evening.
Sea state
Moderate to rough, locally very rough in the north of the area for a time overnight later becoming moderate to slight in the southeast, elsewhere rather rough to rough.
Weather
Isolated showers at first then fair overnight, with rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

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.

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.