Coast and sea
General situation
Complex and discrete areas of low pressure to the south of the United Kingdom will bring stronger winds and longer, perhaps heavier spells of rain at times to the south and east. Winds will remain lighter in the west and northwest with scattered showers.
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
- Southeast 3 to 5, backing east later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in Moray Firth at first, otherwise slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East 3 to 5, backing northeast 5 or 6, becoming cyclonic for a time, then west 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming mainly moderate, increasing rough at times.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming east or southeast 2 to 4, veering northeast occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast backing north then northwest, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 for a time, backing west or southwest, 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, increasing rough for a time in north and south.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east then northeast 2 to 4, increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast backing northwest, 5 to 7, backing southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate, occasionally rough for a time in north.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming mainly moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming west then southwest, 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Rain at times, then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic, mainly southerly, 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, smooth at times in Thames estuary, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly veering southwesterly, 5 to 7, perhaps increasing gale 8 for a time, decreasing 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough for a time in south, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 3 to 5, then cyclonic 2 to 4 later, increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, perhaps increasing gale 8 in west, decreasing 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough for a time in east, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers until later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 2 to 4, backing north or northeast 4 to 6, then northwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later offshore.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, backing southwest 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first offshore.
- Weather
- Rain, then showers until later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5, backing north or northwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but moderate west of Lizard Point and off shore later in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5, backing west 3 to 5, then southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but occasionally moderate west of Lizard Point.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, veering north later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth in east Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North 4 or 5, backing west 2 to 4, the southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth in east Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times, backing north later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near st david's head.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North backing west 2 to 4, then southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North backing west, 3 to 5, then southwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East 3 or 4, backing north or northeast, increasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 or 5, backing west or southwest.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming mainly northeast later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable becoming west or northwest, 2 to 4, then southwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- 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 mainly northeasterly later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeasterly backing westerly or northwesterly 2 to 4, then southwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming mainly southeast later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming northwest 2 to 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
The Minch (16)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming mainly southeast later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near north entrance.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- In south, variable 2 to 4, in north, southeasterly backing northeasterly 3 to 5, then west or northwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in north.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later in north.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming mainly southeast later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming smooth or slight later near Ardnamurchan Point.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- In south, variable 2 to 4, in north, southeasterly backing northeasterly 3 to 5, then west or northwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in south.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later in north.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in northwest at first, backing easterly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in south and east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Saturday 27 Apr 2024 at 0600 UTC until Saturday 27 Apr 2024 at 1800 UTC
General situation
Freshening southeasterly flow will develop on Saturday, backing easterly through Sunday.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in far northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate, but slight just east of shetland
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Saturday 27 Apr until 0600 UTC on Sunday 28 Apr
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in far west at first, backing easterly 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate, but slight in east
- Weather
- Mainly fair
- Visibility
- Mainly good
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 1 to 3, becoming east to northeast 2 to 4 by midday then, in the evening, variable cyclonic 2 to 4 in the east of the area and north 4 to 6 in the west of the area generally becoming northwesterly 5 to 7 after midnight.
- Sea state
- Smooth to slight, with a low swell, increasing moderate to rather rough overnight.
- Weather
- Rain or showers spreading northwards from late morning, locally heavy, with a risk of thunder developing by evening risk of mist patches in the evening and night.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, locally poor at times.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest to west 4 to 6, backing west to southwest 2 to 4 by evening, then southwest to south 3 to 5 by dawn Monday.
- Sea state
- Moderate to rather rough, decreasing smooth to slight by dusk.
- Weather
- Showers, locally heavy with a risk of thunder, clearing by midday.
- Visibility
- Good, locally moderate or poor in the morning.
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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