Coast and sea

Inshore waters and strong winds

General situation

A ridge of high pressure across the south will decline as active Atlantic fronts move over northern and some western areas. These fronts will tend to weaken as they drift east later on Wednesday.

Issued at: 00:01 (UTC) on Tue 4 Aug 2020

For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 00:00 (UTC) on Tue 4 Aug 2020 to 00:00 (UTC) on Wed 5 Aug 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: Southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6 for a time, occasionally 7 for a time near Rattray Head.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight west and north of Orkney, otherwise smooth or slight, becoming moderate or rough in far east.
Weather: Showers then rain at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, veering west 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in far east, becoming smooth in Moray Firth.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest 3 or 4, backing south 5 to 7, then veering southwest 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate, then occasionally rough later in north.
Weather: Fair then rain at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: South or southwest 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Rough at first near Rattray Head, otherwise moderate, becoming mainly slight later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: South or southwest 3 or 4, increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Smooth, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair then occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: South or southwest 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest 3 or 4, backing south 5 or 6.
Sea state: Smooth, becoming slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Fair, then occasional rain in north.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later in north.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: South or southwest 5 or 6, decreasing 4 later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate until later.
Weather: Occasional rain, mainly in north.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate in north.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 until later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in later in shelter.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later in east.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth until later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in east, backing southerly 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Mainly slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Northwest 3 or 4, backing southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth, then occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate in west.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Northwest 3 or 4, backing southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming mainly moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Mainly good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in Lyme Bay, but occasionally rough for a time west of The Lizard.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Northwest 3 or 4, backing southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 near pembrokeshire.
Sea state: Slight becoming moderate, occasionally rough near Pembrokeshire.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Mainly good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 near Pembrokeshire, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 later near Anglesey.
Sea state: Slight, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair then occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 near Anglesey, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough, becoming slight east of Anglesey.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time in west.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair then occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: South or southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Isle of Man (12)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7, then occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Slight, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair then rain.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: South or southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough until later.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southerly 3 or 4, increasing 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time in east, then veering southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight at first in east and later in shelter, otherwise moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, veering west 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough until later in southeast.
Weather: Occasional rain, fair later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor until 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: Southerly 3 or 4, increasing 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time, then veering southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate, occasionally rough for a time in south.
Weather: Fair then rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times, veering westerly 3 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough for a time in south.
Weather: Rain until later.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good later.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: South 3 or 4, increasing 6 or 7, veering southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight at first in shelter, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Rough at first offshore, otherwise moderate, occasionally slight later in shelter.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, frontal.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good later.

The Minch (16)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest 4 or 5, backing south or southeast 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough for a time in far south.
Weather: Rain at times, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor, but occasionally very poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth later in central areas.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle with fog patches until later.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally very poor, becoming good later.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest 4 or 5, backing south or southeast 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough south and west of the Outer Hebrides.
Weather: Rain at times, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor, but occasionally very poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Mainly moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle with fog patches until later.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally very poor, becoming good later.

Shetland Isles (18)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwesterly backing southerly or southeasterly, 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7, then becoming cyclonic 4 or 5 later in southwest.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, but occasionally slight until later east of Shetland.
Weather: Showers, rain later, fog patches later in west.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor, then occasionally very poor later in west.

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

Valid Tuesday 04 Aug 2020 at 0000 UTC until Tuesday 04 Aug 2020 at 1200 UTC

General situation

A developing Atlantic low will become centred to the south of Iceland on Tuesday with the associated weather fronts pushing into Shetland waters.

Forecast

Wind: Southwesterly backing southerly or southeasterly, 4 or 5
Sea state: Moderate, but slight east of Shetland
Weather: Showers
Visibility: Mainly good

Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Tuesday 04 Aug until 0000 UTC on Wednesday 05 Aug

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5 increasing 6 or 7, becoming cyclonic 4 or 5 later in southwest
Sea state: Moderate or rough, but slight at first east of Shetland
Weather: Rain. Mist or fog patches later in west
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor. Very poor at times later in west.

Channel Islands (19)

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Northwest 2 to 3, locally 4, backing west to southwest by midday, and then in the north of the area backing southwest 4 to 5 during the afternoon, whilst in the far south becoming variable 1 to 3.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth in the south, increasing moderate in the northwest during the evening, with a low swell.
Weather: Fair or fine.
Visibility: Good or very good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, locally variable 1 to 2 south of Jersey, then generally becoming south to southwest 3 to 4 by dawn.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate in the northwest, locally smooth in southeast, with a low swell.
Weather: Risk of patchy drizzle and mist in the northwest of the area.
Visibility: Good, perhaps locally moderate or poor in the northwest.

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.