Coast and sea
General situation
A deep Atlantic low will remain slow moving to the northwest during the weekend. This will bring blustery and changeable conditions with strong or gale force winds. Winds will decrease as the low moves away slowly to the north but showers will persist.
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 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times in east and northeast, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later near Cape Wrath.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in northeast and slight in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 5 to 7, veering southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southeasterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in far northeast, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly, veering southwesterly later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in Firth of Forth.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly veering southwesterly, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4, backing southeasterly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming mainly slight later.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first and 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough for a time in north, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, backing southeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first in north, backing southeast 2 or 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in northeast and south, decreasing 3 at times later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first and 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in west, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming slight, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first and 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering west 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but very rough or high west of Lizard Point, becoming moderate of rough, occasionally very rough near Isles of Scilly.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but very rough at first near Isles of Scilly, elsewhere slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later in lyme bay.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in west, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high for a time in far southwest, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally slight in far east.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- 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, decreasing 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough, but slight or moderate east of Anglesey.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, becoming variable 3 or less for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in far south, smooth at times east of Anglesey.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, veering west 3 or 4, backing south 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest, 7 or gale 8, veering southwest 6 or 7, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, decreasing 3 or 4, backing south or southeast later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Mostly good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South veering southwest, 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far north, becoming slight or moderate in east and south.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, backing south 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first in north, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later in east and south.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
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 veering southwesterly later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in North Channel, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, decreasing 3 or 4, backing southerly later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth east and north of arran.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast, 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 5 to 7, then west or southwest, 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in west, and moderate in sheltered east.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, backing south 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in west, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally slight in sheltered east.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in south, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time, occasionally very rough in south.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in entrances, decreasing 3 to 5, backing southerly later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first at first in entrances.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in south, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high until later in southwest, moderate at times near Sutherland.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing southerly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rain or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in east, decreasing 5 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, but high at first in east.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Saturday 11 Apr 2026 at 1800 UTC until Sunday 12 Apr 2026 at 0600 UTC
General situation
Deep low pressure to the west brings a strong southerly or southeasterly flow to Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southeasterly 5 to 7, but 7 to severe gale 9 in northeast at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, but rough in lee shelter west of shetland.
- Weather
- Rain at first, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Sunday 12 Apr until 1800 UTC on Sunday 12 Apr
- Wind
- Southeasterly 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 in northeast.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, but rough in lee shelter west of shetland.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 6 with gusts to 40kt, decreasing 4 to 5 by mid-morning, then 3 to 4 by mid-afternoon.
- Sea state
- Rather rough to very rough, decreasing moderate to rough by midday, then slight to moderate with a low to moderate swell later.
- Weather
- Isolated showers, becoming more frequent at times this evening and tonight slight risk of hail and thunderstorms.
- Visibility
- Good or very good, locally moderate a times.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West to southwest 3 to 4, decreasing 2 to 3 by midnight, perhaps locally 4 in the north of the area later, and perhaps variable 1 in the far south later.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate with a moderate swell, decreasing smooth to slight with a low swell by dawn Monday.
- Weather
- Isolated showers, becoming more frequent at times overnight and in the morning slight risk of hail and thunderstorms.
- Visibility
- Good or very good, locally moderate a times.
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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