Coast and sea
General situation
A ridge of high pressure extending eastwards across southern areas of the United Kingdom will give relatively light winds through Saturday evening, whereas strong winds will affect the far north. Then on Sunday gales will affect most northern waters, with severe gales expected across the far north by evening.
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 4 or 5 increasing 6 to gale 8, then veering west later, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough to the west and north of Orkney, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, squally later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 7 to severe gale 9 veering northwest 6 to gale 8, backing southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate or rough, but slight in inner Moray Firth and very rough or high to the west and north of Orkney.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later, then veering west later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 6 to gale 8, backing southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Showers, mainly in north.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 or 4 backing west 4 or 5, then southwest 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later in north.
- Weather
- Rain at times later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7 veering west or northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west or southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain then fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 2 or 3 backing southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in south.
- Weather
- Drizzle at times then fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times in north.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Drizzle for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming westerly 3 or 4, backing southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Drizzle at times later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming west or southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Drizzle at times later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, veering northwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming west or southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight until later in east, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle at times later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later in east.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming west or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 to 6 veering northwest 3 to 5, then becoming variable 2, becoming west 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 2 to 4 veering west 3 to 5, backing southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle then fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest 4 to 6, then backing southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming west or southwest 4 or 5, then increasing 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Drizzle then fair, then rain later in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6 veering west or northwest 4 to 6, then backing southwest again later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 2 or 3 increasing 4 or 5, backing southwest 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth becoming slight, then moderate later.
- Weather
- Drizzle then fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6 veering west or northwest 5 to 7, backing southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Rain for a time at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4 increasing 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight until later in east, otherwise slight or moderate, but becoming rough later in north.
- Weather
- Showers then fair, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, backing southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in far north, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor 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
- Westerly 2 to 4 backing southwesterly 4 to 6, then veering westerly or northwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in far north, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then fair, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, backing southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time except in far north.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 3 to 5 backing southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later, then veering west or northwest later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, squally later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 6 to gale 8, backing southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate in shelter, otherwise mainly rough or very rough, but occasionally high near Tiree.
- Weather
- Squally showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8, veering west 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, squally later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 7 to severe gale 9 veering northwest 5 to 7, backing southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far north, becoming slight or moderate near Skye.
- Weather
- Squally showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8, veering west 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first between Barra and Canna, otherwise rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, squally later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 7 to severe gale 9 veering northwest 5 to 7, backing southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 or 6 increasing 7 or gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, but in north west and south, rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, squally later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Saturday 28 Jan 2023 at 1800 UTC until Sunday 29 Jan 2023 at 0600 UTC
General situation
A deep area of low pressure will become centred over the Norwegian Sea bringing unsettled conditions to Shetland waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 or 6 increasing 7 or gale 8
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, but moderate in sheltered waters east of Shetland
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Sunday 29 Jan until 1800 UTC on Sunday 29 Jan
- Wind
- West or southwest 7 to severe gale 9
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, but rough in more sheltered waters east of Shetland
- Weather
- Rain clearing to showers
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northeast 2 to 4, becoming variable 1 to 3 overnight, then west or southwest 2 to 4 by midday, increasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth locally slight, with a low swell, increasing slight or moderate in the north of the area late tomorrow.
- Weather
- Perhaps misty near the French coast early morning, then patchy rain developing in the north of the area tomorrow afternoon.
- Visibility
- Good, perhaps locally moderate or poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5 by evening, perhaps locally 6 mid-channel late evening, veering northwest early afternoon, decreasing 1 to 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight with a low swell, locally moderate until mid-morning, locally smooth from mid-afternoon.
- Weather
- Patchy rain or drizzle at times, local mist and a risk of fog patches from late in the night until late in the morning.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, locally poor or perhaps very 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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