Coast and sea
General situation
A complex area of low pressure continues to sit over the United Kingdom over the next couple of days bringing light winds and showers, with a risk of fog at times. A ridge of high pressure will build over western parts during Monday night bringing drier and clearer conditions.
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)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first near Orkney.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery later in south, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate to the north and west of Orkney.
- Weather
- Showers or fog patches, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor until later.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable becoming northerly or northeasterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery, with fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable becoming northerly or northeasterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery, with fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable, mainly south or southwest, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Isolated showers fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable becoming northerly or northeasterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers or fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable, mainly easterly or southeasterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Isolated showers, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable becoming northerly or northeasterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Thundery showers or fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable, mainly southerly or southeasterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable becoming northerly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Thundery showers then fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable, mainly south or southeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in west.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable becoming northerly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west.
- Weather
- Thundery showers then fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in west, backing northerly or northeasterly later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers then fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in west, but smooth or slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable becoming northerly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in west, but smooth or slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly 3 to 5 for a time near St Davids Head.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near St Davids Head.
- Weather
- Isolated showers, but fog patches later in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or fog patches, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor at first.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable or southwest 2 or 3, becoming north or northwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Drizzle at times, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable, mainly westerly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable becoming northwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in southwest.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate in North Channel.
- Weather
- Showers or fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
The Minch (16)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later in west.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 or 3 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in northern and southern entrances.
- Weather
- Showers and fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor at first.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later in west.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate later in west.
- Weather
- Showers and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 or 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, but slight at first in east.
- Weather
- Showers and fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor at first.
Shetland Isles (18)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Sunday 05 May 2024 at 0600 UTC until Sunday 05 May 2024 at 1800 UTC
General situation
Moist southeasterly airstream covers Shetland waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southeast 4 or 5
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate
- Weather
- Fog patches. Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Sunday 05 May until 0600 UTC on Monday 06 May
- Wind
- Southeast 3 or 4
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate
- Weather
- Fog patches. Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 2 to 4, becoming southeast or variable in the afternoon, perhaps occasionally 5 in the southeast, becoming south again overnight.
- Sea state
- Smooth, locally slight, with a low swell developing.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle or mist patches, clearing to isolated showers by mid-morning, perhaps locally heavy later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, locally poor at times.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South to southeast 2 to 4, soon becoming variable 1 to 3, then northerly around midday, backing northwest 2 to 4 by dusk, perhaps locally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth, locally slight, with a low swell diminishing.
- Weather
- Isolated showers, some heavy, perhaps more widespread at times risk of thunder near french coasts from late morning until dusk.
- Visibility
- Good, locally moderate or 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.
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.