Coast and sea
General situation
A vigorous low moving to the northwest of Scotland will keep the British Isles within a mild and strong southwesterly flow, giving severe gales for a time across northwestern waters of Scotland. Winds generally easing on Tuesday, but remaining unsettled, courtesy of a further frontal trough.
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
- Southeasterly veering southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in north.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in far north, but mainly moderate in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 or 4, then increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but very rough at first in far north, and slight or moderate in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers, mainly in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in north.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in north, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, mainly in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in south.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first, veering southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first and occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Rain at first, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, then becoming west later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first, veering southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first in north, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in east, veering southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in east, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in east.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly 6 to gale 8, veering southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6, decreasing 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 1 to 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first, then rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, backing south 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but rough or very rough in far west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then north 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, backing south 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in far west, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then north or northeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Rain or 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 6 to gale 8, backing south 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in far west, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then north or northwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in far southwest, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 7 or gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first, and occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest becoming cyclonic, then west or northwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first, and occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6, veering northwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 7 or gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6, then decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later except in far north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest becoming variable 2 to 4, then west or northwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in far north.
- Weather
- Showers, but rain for a time at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate 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
- Southwest 7 or gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6, then decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest becoming variable 2 to 4, then west or northwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Firth of Clyde.
- Weather
- Showers, but rain for a time at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 near Tiree, decreasing 5 to 7, then becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming slight or moderate in east later.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South veering southwest 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, veering west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- Raon or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South veering southwest 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, veering west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough, occasionally high at first.
- Weather
- Raon or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast veering south 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first in far northeast, veering southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Monday 12 Jan 2026 at 0000 UTC until Monday 12 Jan 2026 at 1200 UTC
General situation
Complex area of low pressure will be centred between Scotland and Iceland on Monday.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southeast gale 8 to storm 10
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high in northeast.
- Weather
- Rain
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Monday 12 Jan until 0000 UTC on Tuesday 13 Jan
- Wind
- Southeast gale 8 to storm 10 veering south or southwest 7 to severe gale 9
- Sea state
- Very rough or high
- Weather
- Rain or showers
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South to southwest 5 to 6, perhaps locally 7 with gusts to 45kt at first, decreasing 4 to 5 after midday, locally 3 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight in the south, moderate to rather rough in the north, locally rough in the far north, generally becoming slight to moderate, with a low swell developing.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and drizzle, locally heavy, and mist patches spreading from the south from dawn, clearing during the afternoon isolated showers developing.
- Visibility
- Moderate to good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South to southwest 4 to 5, locally 3 at times.
- Sea state
- Locally moderate at first, otherwise smooth to slight with a low swell.
- Weather
- Occasional rain by dawn, some likely heavier at times mist and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate to good, occasionally poor or very poor.
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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