Coast and sea
General situation
An area of low pressure moving steadily southwards in the North Sea will bring a cold northeasterly flow, giving strong winds and wintry showers to eastern parts. More settled conditions are expected elsewhere, but a band of rain and strong winds will arrive in the English Channel by Thursday.
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
- North or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in inner Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in north and slight in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northeast, backing northwest for a time, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest veering north, 5 to 7, then backing northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest veering east or northeast, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight later near shore.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest, veering north or northeast for a time, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, decreasing 3 at times later.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest veering east or northeast, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly veering northerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north, decreasing 3 at times later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough for a time in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps wintry in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly veering northeasterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first in northeast and mainly smooth in Thames estuary, otherwise slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps wintry in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in north.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly, veering northeasterly later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in far east.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming north, then veering northeast later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming north or northwest 2 to 4, then veering east or northeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate to the west of the Lizard peninsula and smooth in lyme bay.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in east, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable becoming north or northeast, 2 to 4, veering east 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in east and moderate in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East 4 or 5, backing northeast 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in east, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally rough later near Lands End.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later near St Davids Head.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate near St Davids Head, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 2 to 4, veering northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest veering northeast, 2 to 4.
- 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 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate at times in far north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far north.
- 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 becoming northerly or northeasterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly 3 or 4, veering northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in sheltered east, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in sheltered east, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
- Sea state
- Mainly smooth southeast of skye, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps wintry in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in south, becoming rough at times later in north.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps wintry in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in south, becoming rough at times later in north.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps wintry in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps wintry in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Tuesday 28 Nov 2023 at 1800 UTC until Wednesday 29 Nov 2023 at 0600 UTC
General situation
A cold, showery northeast flow will persist over Shetland Waters
Forecast
- Wind
- Northeasterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 in east.
- Sea state
- Rough, but moderate to southwest of shetland.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Wednesday 29 Nov until 1800 UTC on Wednesday 29 Nov
- Wind
- Northeast 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable or westerly 1 to 3, occasionally 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, with a low swell.
- Weather
- Isolated showers becoming occasional by Wednesday morning.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable or westerly 2 to 4, locally easterly 4 to 6 in the far north of the area becoming southerly 4 to 5 by evening in the south by morning becoming east to southeast 4 to 6 all areas.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight with a low swell, becoming slight to moderate by Thursday morning, locally rather rough mid-channel.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps heavy at times soon, easing by Thursday midday.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps poor at times.
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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