Coast and sea

Inshore waters and strong winds

General situation

A westerly or southwesterly unstable flow will affect the coastal waters at first, with strong winds. Then occasional rain will move northeast across the British Isles on Thursday bringing further strong winds.

Issued at: 18:00 (UTC) on Wed 28 Oct 2020

For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 18:00 (UTC) on Wed 28 Oct 2020 to 18:00 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 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: Southwest, backing southeast later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, but rough or very rough in northwest.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southeast 5 or 6, veering west or southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, but rough in northwest, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Occasional rain, then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest, backing southeast later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southeast, veering southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest, backing southeast for a time later, 5 or 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: South or southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight occasionally moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest, backing south for a time later, 5 or 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, backing southerly 4 or 5 for a time later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, thundery at first, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, veering westerly 4 or 5 later in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in far south.
Weather: Showers, thundery at first, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwesterly 6 or 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Squally showers, then occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest 6 or 7, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Westerly backing southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in lyme bay and high at first in far west.
Weather: Squally showers, then occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwesterly 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in west, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough, but very rough at first in west, occasionally moderate in lyme bay.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: West backing southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, and perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in southwest.
Weather: Squally showers, then occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: West backing southwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far southwest.
Weather: Squally showers, then occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 4 or 5 later, then becoming variable 2 or 3.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: West or southwest, backing southeast for a time later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Squally showers, then occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest 6 or 7, veering west 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight later.
Weather: Occasional rain, showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Isle of Man (12)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: West or southwest, backing southeast for a time later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Squally showers, then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwesterly, backing southeasterly for a time, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough in far northwest, otherwise moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Squally showers, then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly, veering westerly for a time, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight later in south and east.
Weather: Rain 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: Southwesterly, backing southeasterly for a time later, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in shelter, rough at times near Mull of Kintyre.
Weather: Squally showers, then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southerly, veering westerly, 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first in North Channel, becoming mainly slight later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: West or southwest, backing southeast for a time later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: South or southwest, veering west, 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

The Minch (16)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest, backing south or southeast later, 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, but rough or very rough in far north and in southwest.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming west or southwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far north and in southwest.
Weather: Occasional rain, then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest, backing south or southeast later, 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming west or southwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Shetland Isles (18)

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 or 4, backing southeast 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Mainly good.

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

Valid Wednesday 28 Oct 2020 at 1800 UTC until Thursday 29 Oct 2020 at 0600 UTC

General situation

A slack flow will cover Shetland and surrounding waters for much of the time.

Forecast

Wind: Variable 2 to 4
Sea state: Rough or very rough, but mainly moderate east of shetland
Weather: Showers
Visibility: Mainly good

Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Thursday 29 Oct until 1800 UTC on Thursday 29 Oct

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southeast 4 or 5
Sea state: Rough or very rough, but mainly moderate east of shetland
Weather: Occasional showers
Visibility: Mainly good

Channel Islands (19)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind: Southwest to west 6 to 7, occasionally gale 8 with gusts to 50kt, decreasing 5 to 7 overnight, then southwesterly by dawn, locally 4 in the south of the area.
Sea state: Rough to very rough, occasionally high in the west this evening, decreasing rather rough to rough in the morning.
Weather: Showers, locally heavy at first becoming isolated overnight then dying out occasional rain or drizzle and mist patches from around dawn.
Visibility: Moderate to good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, locally 4 in the south of the area.
Sea state: Rather rough to rough, locally moderate with a low swell in the south of the area by Friday evening.
Weather: Mist patches with a little rain and drizzle at times, especially overnight.
Visibility: Moderate to good, occasionally 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.