Coast and sea
General situation
A southerly airflow covering the United Kingdom will veer southwesterly by Saturday as an Atlantic front moves across from the west. Later on Sunday and into Monday a complex area of low pressure is expected to develop across northern waters.
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
- South, veering southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in north, smooth or slight in south.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest, backing south or southeast, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in north, smooth or slight in south.
- Weather
- Showers then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South, veering southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest, backing south, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later near Rattray Head.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South, veering west, 3 to 5, backing southwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers then fair, occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming south 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth, occasionally slight at first.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 or 4, increasing 5 for a time, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain or showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth, occasionally slight at first.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate for a time.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable, becoming southerly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in south.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 in east, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate for a time.
- Weather
- South at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first in east.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west for a time, 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in west.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 2 to 4, increasing 5 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth in east.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west for a time, 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first, decreasing 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first, becoming slight later in the Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 near St Davids Head.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South, veering southwest, 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first, backing south 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in south.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth east from penmon point.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 3 to 5 veering west or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth near Liverpool Bay.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, backing south or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth near Liverpool Bay.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South, veering west or southwest, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, backing south or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South, veering southwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing south 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in shelter.
- Weather
- Showers, thunder y at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in shelter.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly, veering southwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing southerly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in the Firth of Clyde.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in the North Channel.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in the Firth of Clyde.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South, veering southwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight to the east of islay and colonsay.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South, veering southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far south.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain at first in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first in south.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest, becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in far south, becoming smooth later near raasay and rona.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South, veering southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain at first in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first in south.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest, becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast, veering southwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then showers, rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Friday 20 May 2022 at 1200 UTC until Saturday 21 May 2022 at 0000 UTC
General situation
Atlantic low pressure centred south of Iceland will maintain a generally southerly flow across Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- South or southeast veering southwest in the west, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in southeast, moderate or rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Fair then showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Saturday 21 May until 1200 UTC on Saturday 21 May
- Wind
- Southwest, but south in east at first, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in southeast, moderate in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West to southwest 3 to 5, perhaps briefly 6 mid-channel late afternoon, locally northwesterly in the far south of the area, generally decreasing 2 to 3 overnight, becoming variable tomorrow.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight with a low swell, increasing slight to moderate for a time today and tonight, perhaps briefly rather rough mid-channel.
- Weather
- Small risk of mist near french coast around dawn.
- Visibility
- Good, perhaps locally moderate or poor for a time.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 1 to 3, becoming northerly 2 to 4 in the south of the area by late afternoon, generally becoming easterly 2 to 4 overnight, backing northeast to east on Sunday.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight with a low swell.
- Weather
- Some mist patches likely mid-channel and perhaps near french coast around dawn.
- Visibility
- Good, locally moderate or 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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