Coast and sea
General situation
An area of high pressure will be dominant across the United Kingdom over the next 24 hours, maintaining settled conditions with only light or moderate breezes in most areas. However, southwesterly winds will be fresh or strong across Shetland, and also in the far northwest of Scotland.
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
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first near Cape Wrath but becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough to the west and north of Orkney and smooth or slight in Moray Firth, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times later in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 or 4 becoming variable 3 or less, then southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 later, occasionally 7 later near Cape Wrath.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough to the west and north of Orkney and smooth or slight in Moray Firth, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, mainly in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less at first in south, otherwise southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate for a time in north.
- Weather
- Fog patches at first in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first in south.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 at times, then increasing 5 later in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in north.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 2 to 4, veering southwest 2 or 3 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 2 or 3 backing south or southeast 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 or 3 becoming south or southeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches at first in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly, veering southeasterly later in north, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 from Beachy Head eastwards but veering southeasterly 2 to 4 for a time in west.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 from Beachy Head eastwards but veering southeasterly 2 to 4 for a time in west.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 from Start Point westwards but becoming variable 3 or less for a time in Lyme Bay.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast veering east or southeast, 3 or 4, then becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in east, slight or moderate in west.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first near Land's End, otherwise slight, occasionally smooth in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or northeast 2 to 4 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate near Land's End.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast 2 to 4 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 later in far north.
- Sea state
- Smooth, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 3 or 4 at first except in Morecambe Bay and Solway Firth, otherwise variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 later in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 2 to 4 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- In far north, slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later, but elsewhere, smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming south or southeast 2 to 4, then veering southwest later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in far north, but elsewhere smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4 until later except in far north, otherwise variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near the Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but mainly moderate near the Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly veering southwesterly, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first in far north, becoming variable 2 at times elsewhere.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight to the east of Islay and Jura, elsewhere slight or moderate, but becoming moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable mainly southwest 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in east, mainly moderate or rough in west, but occasionally very rough in far west.
- Weather
- Rain at times, mainly in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly veering southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in north, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight to the east and north of Skye, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming south or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first to the east and north of Skye, otherwise slight or moderate, but becoming rough in far north.
- 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
- Southerly veering southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in north, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate between Barra and Canna, elsewhere moderate or rough, but becoming rough or very rough later to the west and north of the Outer Hebrides.
- Weather
- Fair then rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming south or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough to the west and north of the Outer Hebrides, but elsewhere moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, veering west or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in north, west and south but slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle for a time later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Friday 20 Mar 2026 at 0600 UTC until Friday 20 Mar 2026 at 1800 UTC
General situation
Low to the far north maintaining the southwest flow. Weak Atlantic troughs reaching your area Friday.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 in south
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west, but slight in lee shelter of Shetland
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle in west
- Visibility
- Mainly good
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Friday 20 Mar until 0600 UTC on Saturday 21 Mar
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west, but slight in lee shelter of Shetland
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East to northeast 3 to 4, occasionally 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, with a low swell at first.
- Weather
- Risk of mist or fog patches near the French coast overnight.
- Visibility
- Good, perhaps locally poor or very poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, with a low swell developing later.
- Weather
- Mist or fog patches near the French coast at first and again later.
- Visibility
- Good, locally poor or 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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