Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
A complex area of low pressure will move southeastwards into the North Sea and slowly fill through the period. This will maintain a changeable cyclonic flow with rain or showers across all areas, thundery in places, and strong winds at times, mainly in the north and west.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 18:00 (UTC) on Wed 19 Aug 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Thu 20 Aug 2026
Inshore waters and strong winds map
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5, backing north or northwest, 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in Moray Firth, becoming moderate or rough north and west of Orkney.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough at first north and west of Orkney.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 3 to 5, then backing north 4 to 6 later, but decreasing 2 or 3 later in Firth of Forth.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, and 2 at times in firth Forth and st andrews bay.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Firth of Forth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming north or northeast, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North backing northwest at times, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 to 4, becoming mainly north, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North backing northwest for a time, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 or 3, increasing 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in south.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far south.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northerly or northwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 2 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in south, and becoming slight or moderate in north.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times off shore.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly, 4 to 6, veering northerly or northeasterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, veering west or northwest, 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest, 4 to 6, veering north or northwest, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly veering northwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough near Isles of Scilly.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5, veering northerly 2 to 4, backing northwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first near Isles of Scilly, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly veering northwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in south, elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, and 2 later in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering west, 3 to 5, then north or northwest, 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first east of Anglesey.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, veering northwest 3 or 4, then north or northeast, 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in south.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Mainly north 3 to 5, decreasing 2 or 3 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in south.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 or 4, veering northeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later, backing north or northwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North 3 to 5, decreasing 2 to 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5, backing north or northwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in south.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery until later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first in north and smooth at times in south and east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, occasionally 2 in north, then northerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Mull of Kintyre, becoming slight or moderate later in North Channel.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery until later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Mainly northerly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate at first in North Channel, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 4 to 6, backing north 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in sheltered east and rough at times until later in west.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery until later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight east of islay and jura, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in west and south, backing northerly later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in south, backing northwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in west and south, backing northerly later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in north and west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in south, backing northwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in north, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Wednesday 19 Aug 2026 at 1800 UTC until Thursday 20 Aug 2026 at 0600 UTC
General situation
Pressure remains low over Scandinavia, maintaining a northerly airstream over Shetland waters
Forecast
- Wind
- North 5 or 6
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Thursday 20 Aug until 1800 UTC on Thursday 20 Aug
- Wind
- North 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West to northwest 4 to 5, locally 6, backing west to southwest for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate, perhaps rather rough in the west.
- Weather
- Isolated showers, perhaps heavy from early Thursday.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 to 5, perhaps locally 6 at times, veering northwest 4 by midnight further veering northerly 3 to 4 by Friday morning.
- Sea state
- Moderate, locally rather rough at first, decreasing smooth to slight with a low swell.
- Weather
- Isolated showers, perhaps heavy.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
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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