Coast and sea
General situation
Areas of low pressure to the west and southwest of Ireland will bring a mainly southerly or southeasterly flow with occasional rain or showers and strong winds, with gales or severe gales at times away from the far southeast.
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
- Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in Moray Firth, elsewhere mainly moderate or rough, but occasionally very rough later in east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 in Moray Firth and severe gale 9 in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 later in far north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in far north.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate occasionally poor.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate occasionally poor.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough later in far north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but rough at first in far west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, veering southwest 4 to 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but very rough at first in far west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but very rough in far west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 6 to gale 8 at first in east, otherwise southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in west, backing southeasterly 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight in Bristol Channel, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far southwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in west.
- Sea state
- Slight in Bristol Channel, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far southwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 7 to severe gale 9, veering south 5 to 7, then backing southeast 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate in northeast.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East 6 to gale 8, veering southeast 4 to 6, then becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in southwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later, then backing east 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 7 or gale 8, veering south or southeast 5 or 6, backing east or southeast 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 6 or 7, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in north, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally gale 9 at first in North Channel and 5 in far north, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in far north but becoming rough for a time in North Channel.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later in North Channel.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in North Channel and smooth in far north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in west and south, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate or rough, but slight in shelter and occasionally very rough in far west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight just north and east of skye, but elsewhere slight or moderate, occasionally rough near entrances.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7, then gale 8 later in far north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight just north and east of skye, but elsewhere slight or moderate, occasionally rough near entrances.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in south.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7, then gale 8 later in far north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 6 or 7, increasing 7 or gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Tuesday 20 Jan 2026 at 1200 UTC until Wednesday 21 Jan 2026 at 0000 UTC
General situation
Low complex to the west of the British Isles on Tuesday with a strengthening SE flow over Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- South or southeast 5 to 7
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough
- Weather
- Rain or showers
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate or poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Wednesday 21 Jan until 1200 UTC on Wednesday 21 Jan
- Wind
- Southeast 6 to gale 8
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough
- Weather
- Rain or showers
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate or poor
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South to southeast 6 to 7, occasionally gale 8 with gusts to 55kt in the north of the area, veering south to southwest 4 to 6 in the evening, backing south to southeast after midnight, increasing 6 to gale 8 with gusts to 55kt towards dawn.
- Sea state
- Moderate in the south of the area, rather rough to rough in the north, generally decreasing slight to moderate with a low swell for a time overnight.
- Weather
- Rain, locally heavy, spreading east, turning to showers early evening, further rain after midnight, heavy at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, locally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South to southeast 6 to 7, occasionally gale 8 with gusts to 50kt mid-channel at first, decreasing 4 to 6 in the evening, veering southwest to west later.
- Sea state
- Moderate in the south of the area, rather rough to rough in the north, generally decreasing slight to moderate, with a low swell, by midnight, increasing rather rough to rough later.
- Weather
- Rain and drizzle, locally heavy with a risk of mist patches, clearing to occasional showers in the evening.
- Visibility
- Moderate to good locally poor, becoming good occasionally moderate.
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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