Coast and sea
General situation
A low pressure west of Shetland will slowly move east of Shetland, bringing showers to the coastal waters and strong winds to the north and west. Then a ridge of high pressure will build on Saturday, with showers and winds easing off.
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
- Southwest veering northwest, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight in inner Moray Firth and very rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 over Orkney, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in northwest, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- 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 5 to 7 veering west 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in north and smooth in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, veering northwest 5 to 7, backing west 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in northeast and smooth in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, veering northwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering west, 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 3 or 4, veering northwest 4 or 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly, veering westerly or northwesterly, 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly, veering westerly or northwesterly later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in east and moderate in west.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in east and moderate in west.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west or northwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 or 4 veering northwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but rough in west.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5, decreasing 2 or 3, backing southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in west, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming smooth later in lyme bay.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 or 4 veering northwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, but rough in southwest and slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5, decreasing 2 or 3, backing southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but rough at first in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- 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 2 to 4, veering northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, backing west 2 or 3, then southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4 veering west 3 to 5, then northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth at first and moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, backing west or southwest 2 or 3.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4 veering west 4 or 5, then northwest 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 2 to 4, backing southwest later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 veering northwest 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 or 6 becoming variable 3 or less, then south 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but rough at first in northwest, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
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 4 or 5 veering northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Firth of Clyde.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but moderate at first in North Channel.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 4 to 6 veering northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in southeast and very rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, turning squally.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7 becoming variable 3 or less, then south 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in northwest, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 4 to 6 veering northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but rough or very rough in north.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but rough, occasionally very rough at first, in north, and smooth later in south.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 4 to 6 veering northwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in southeast and high later in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough, then slight later in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 5 to 7 becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Thursday 21 Sep 2023 at 1200 UTC until Friday 22 Sep 2023 at 0000 UTC
General situation
An area of low pressure will become slow moving between Shetland and the Faeroes on Thursday.
Forecast
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly southeasterly to southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in southeast, decreasing 3 or 4 later in west
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough
- Weather
- Rain or showers
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Friday 22 Sep until 1200 UTC on Friday 22 Sep
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, but 6 at first in southeast
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate later in southeast
- Weather
- Rain or showers
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, veering west to northwest.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, locally smooth, with a low to moderate swell.
- Weather
- Showers becoming frequent for a time, occasionally heavy, possibly thundery.
- Visibility
- Good or very good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West to northwest 4 to 5, decreasing 2 to 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, becoming smooth later, with a low swell.
- Weather
- Squally showers until later, locally heavy at first.
- Visibility
- Good or very 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.
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