Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
Low pressure will remain centred to the north or west of Scotland throughout. This will give a generally slack flow across northern waters, but an increasingly strong westerly flow across southern waters.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 00:00 (UTC) on Tue 2 Jun 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Wed 3 Jun 2026
Inshore waters and strong winds map
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast, backing north or northeast, then backing northwest later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth of slight, but slight or moderate in far northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest becoming variable, then east or southeast later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate in far northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeasterly becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming southwesterly 3 to 5 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fog patches in north, thundery showers later in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first in north, otherwise southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southeasterly later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in south, and occasionally moderate later near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 or 3, then southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest, backing south or southeast, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth at first, and occasionally moderate later offshore.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 or 5, veering south or southwest 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, backing south or southeast 4 or 5, then veering southwest 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth at first, and occasionally moderate later offshore.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly 4 or 5, veering westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5, backing southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later in south.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, but rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly 3 or 4, veering southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming mainly moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, but rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4, increasing 5 or 6, then veering west 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later offshore.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, backing southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, but rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, veering west 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in far west and offshore from Start Point.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, backing southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first in shelter.
- Weather
- Showers, but rain for a time at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, veering west 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, backing southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate near Severn estuary.
- Weather
- Showers, but rain for a time at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 3 in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4, increasing 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, but rain for a time at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 3 to 5, backing south or southeast 4 to 6, then veering southwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, but rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle and fog patches, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor, becoming good later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, backing south or southeast 5 or 6, then veering southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming mainly moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, backing southeast 5 or 6, then veering southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, but rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 or 4, backing southeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in North Channel, then veering southwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate in North Channel.
- Weather
- Showers, but rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 1 to 3, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in west, smooth or slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest backing southeast 3 to 5, then veering south or southwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in shelter.
- Weather
- Showers, but rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 1 to 3, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable, becoming northeast later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate in far south.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 1 to 3, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable, becoming northeast later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shetland Isles (18)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East backing northeast 2 or 3, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Tuesday 02 Jun 2026 at 0000 UTC until Tuesday 02 Jun 2026 at 1200 UTC
General situation
Complex low pressure remains slow moving to the southwest and south of Shetland with associated troughs affecting Shetland Waters at times.
Forecast
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 or less becoming east or northeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good occasionally very poor.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Tuesday 02 Jun until 0000 UTC on Wednesday 03 Jun
- Wind
- East or northeast becoming cyclonic 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good occasionally very poor.
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South to southwest 4 to 5, veering west by dawn, increasing 5 to 6 by midday with gusts to 35kt, decreasing 4 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, increasing moderate to rather rough by midday, locally rough in the north and west during the afternoon.
- Weather
- Rain, locally heavy with mist and isolated thunderstorms, clearing to showers by dawn, risk locally heavy and thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, locally poor at times.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West to southwest 4 to 5, backing south to southwest 5 to 6 by midday, perhaps locally 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate to rather rough, locally slight for a time, increasing rough in the north and west after midday.
- Weather
- Showers at first, then rain and drizzle developing on Wednesday morning, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, locally moderate or poor at times.
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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