Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
During Thursday night and Friday a deep area of low pressure will move eastwards across the English Channel, bringing wet and windy conditions to many areas, especially the south, with storm force winds in the southwest.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 18:00 (UTC) on Thu 22 Oct 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Fri 23 Oct 2026
Inshore waters and strong winds map
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, backing south or southeast 2 to 4, then becoming variable later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming smooth or slight in Moray Firth and slight or moderate elsewhere.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, then southeasterly 6 to gale 8 later, occasionally severe gale 9 later in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in Moray Firth, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest backing east, 3 to 5, then north or northwest 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight for a time, occasionally rough later in south.
- Weather
- Showers then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west or southwest 3 or 4, then south or southeast 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain, becoming fair for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good for a time.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest backing southeast, 3 or 4, then east 5 to 7, then northwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west 4 or 5, then south 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain, becoming fair for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good for a time.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 3 or 4, backing east or southeast 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 6 to gale 8, then backing west 5 or 6, then south or southwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 2 to 4, backing southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 south of Lowestoft, becoming cyclonic later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwesterly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in south, backing westerly 5 to 7, then southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, thundery at first, becoming fair for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly or southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, veering westerly later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 or 6 for a time, then backing southwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 5 or 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, then becoming cyclonic, then northwest gale 8 to storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high offshore.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 7 to severe gale 9, backing west 5 or 6, then southwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- 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
- South becoming cyclonic, 6 to gale 8, then northwest severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, decreasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high, occasionally very high in far west.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west or southwest 5 or 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough for a time, occasionally high later in west.
- Weather
- Squally showers, then rain.
- 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, becoming northwesterly severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, decreasing 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high in west.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west or southwest 5 or 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in east and high later in west.
- Weather
- Squally showers, then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast 5 to 7, backing northwest gale 8 to storm 10, decreasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west or southwest 5 or 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later, occasionally high later in south.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 or 4, backing east or northeast 5 to 7, then northwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate, then moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5, then backing west or southwest, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate for a time, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain, becoming fair for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 3 or 4, backing acking east 5 or 6, then northwest 7 or gale 8.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair then rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 7 or gale 8, backing west 5, then south gale 8 or severe gale 9, veering southwest later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, backing northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far north and far south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, backing southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in north and south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or 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
- Southerly backing northerly or northeasterly, 3 to 5, then northwesterly 5 to 7 later, occasionally gale 8 later in North Channel.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 to 7, backing westerly 3 to 5, then southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest becoming variable, 2 to 4, then northwest 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 or 6, backing west 3 or 4, then south 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly becoming cyclonic, then northwesterly later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate near entrances, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing southwesterly, 3 to 5, then southerly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in central areas, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly becoming cyclonic, then northwesterly later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing southwesterly, 3 to 5, then southerly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later, occasionally high later in south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west 4 to 6, then southwest 3 to 5, backing southeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in south, becoming slight or moderate.
- 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 Thursday 22 Oct 2026 at 1800 UTC until Friday 23 Oct 2026 at 0600 UTC
General situation
A low over Shetland Waters moves away northeast on Thursday evening, then a transient ridge of high pressure builds on Friday.
Forecast
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwest 6 to gale 8, then backing west or southwest 3 to 5
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time in south and east
- Weather
- Rain then showers
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming mainly good
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Friday 23 Oct until 1800 UTC on Friday 23 Oct
- Wind
- Southwest backing southeast 3 or 4
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight to the east of shetland
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 6 to 7 increasing gale 8 to severe gale 9, with gusts to 60kt, by midnight, veering west to northwest severe gale 9 to storm 10 with gusts to 70kt by dawn, decreasing gale 8 with gusts to 60kt by mid-afternoon.
- Sea state
- Moderate to rather rough, increasing rough or very rough by midnight, then high or very high later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, persistent and heavy at times, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, becoming moderate to poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West to northwest gale 8 with gusts to 55kt, decreasing 6 to 7 with gusts to 45kt by midnight, backing west to southwest 5 to 6 by dawn, increasing 7 to gale 8 by mid-afternoon.
- Sea state
- Very rough to high, decreasing rough to very rough by midnight, then rather rough to rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, locally heavy.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
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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