Coast and sea

Inshore waters and strong winds

General situation

High pressure over southern areas will drift east into continental Europe. Meanwhile low pressure will become centred to the northwest of Scotland, with its associated fronts pushing southeastwards across all parts by the end of Monday.

Issued at: 06:00 (UTC) on Sun 12 Jul 2020

For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 06:00 (UTC) on Sun 12 Jul 2020 to 06:00 (UTC) on Mon 13 Jul 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: Westerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in north, becoming variable 3 or 4, then southerly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first near Orkney, becoming smooth at times in east.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fair for a time.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: South veering west, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight until later in east, otherwise moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor in north.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)

24 hour forecast:

Wind: West backing south or southwest, 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 at times.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Rattray Head.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Mainly good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest 4 or 5, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

24 hour forecast:

Wind: West backing south, 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 at times.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: South or southwest, veering west later, 4 or 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain until later.
Visibility: Mainly good.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming southeast 4 or 5, then veering southwest 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest veering west later, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain for a time.
Visibility: Mainly good.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southerly veering westerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair then occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 3 to 5, then veering northwesterly 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Variable 3 or less, increasing 4 at times.
Sea state: Smooth.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Variable 3 or less, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, then veering northwest 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain for a time.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate for a time.

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

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Variable 3 or less, increasing 4 at times.
Sea state: Slight west of The Lizard, otherwise smooth.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Variable 3 or less, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, then veering northwest later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far west.
Weather: Fair then occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor for a time.

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

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest veering northwest later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Mainly smooth in Bristol Channel, otherwise slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle until later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor until later.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or 4 at times, then occasionally 6 later in north.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, veering northwest later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle until later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor until later.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 at times until later in Liverpool Bay, then occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest veering northwest later, 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Isle of Man (12)

24 hour forecast:

Wind: South or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Rain and drizzle later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate or poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest veering west, 4 or 5, then veering northwest 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Rain and drizzle, then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southerly veering southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 for a time in east.
Sea state: Smooth until later in east, otherwise slight.
Weather: Fair then occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest veering northwest, 4 or 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate west of Rathlin Island.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

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 veering southwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 for a time.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate for a time later.
Weather: Fair then occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth, then occasionally moderate later near Mull of Kintyre.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: South veering west later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair then rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest veering west or northwest later, 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

The Minch (16)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest backing south for a time, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 for a time.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far south and far north.
Weather: Fair then rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest veering west or northwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far south and far north.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest backing south for a time, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Fair then rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest veering west or northwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough for a time west of the Outer Hebrides.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Shetland Isles (18)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: West backing south or southeast, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, but smooth in sheltered east.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches until later.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor until later, then occasionally good later.

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

Valid Sunday 12 Jul 2020 at 0600 UTC until Sunday 12 Jul 2020 at 1800 UTC

General situation

Westerly flow initially with Atlantic front over Shetland Waters. Front clearing east late Sunday, with flow backing southerly as further troughs approach from west overnight.

Forecast

Wind: West 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first
Sea state: Slight or moderate, but smooth in sheltered eastern coastal waters
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, mist and risk fog patches
Visibility: Moderate or poor, perhaps very poor in fog patches

Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Sunday 12 Jul until 0600 UTC on Monday 13 Jul

Wind: West backing south or southeast 3 to 5
Sea state: Slight or moderate, but smooth in sheltered eastern coastal waters
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, mist and risk fog patches at first, soon becoming fair, then rain in west later
Visibility: Moderate or poor, perhaps very poor in fog patches, soon becoming mainly good, occasionally moderate later

Channel Islands (19)

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Easterly 2 to 4, locally variable 1 or 2 from late morning, backing northeast to north 3 to 4 during the afternoon, locally 5 in the south of the area until dusk, occasionally variable 1 or 2 Monday morning.
Sea state: Smooth to slight, with a low swell.
Weather: Mainly fine.
Visibility: Good or very good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: North to northeast 2 to 4, occasionally variable 1 or 2 at first, becoming west to northwest 3 to 4 during the afternoon.
Sea state: Smooth to slight, with a low swell.
Weather: Fair or fine, occasional patchy rain or showers from early evening, with a risk of mist later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later, perhaps locally poor.

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.