Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
A cool and showery westerly flow lies across the United Kingdom with strong winds around some coasts in the southwest. An Atlantic frontal system will bring rain late on Monday and into Tuesday, followed by showers, with strong winds developing around many coastlines.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 06:00 (UTC) on Sun 17 May 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Mon 18 May 2026
Inshore waters and strong winds map
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or southeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in south, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first near Firth of Forth, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in south and moderate until later in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, becoming south 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first in south.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 2 to 4, backing southeast 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair then showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 3 or 4, becoming variable, then south or southwest later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 2 to 4, increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, increasing 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time near North Foreland.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southerly 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest, backing south for a time, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest, backing west or southwest, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough in far west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest, backing south for a time, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in far west.
- Weather
- Rain at times, showers later.
- 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
- Northwesterly 3 to 5, backing westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly backing southerly or southwesterly, 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time at first in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first, rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, backing southwest 4 to 6, then veering west 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later near St Davids Head and smooth later in far north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West becoming variable, 2 to 4, then becoming south or southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in north.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly backing southwesterly, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in south, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest backing southwest, 4 or 5, decreasing 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate for a time in south.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest backing south or southeast, 2 to 4, backing southeast 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate in far north, otherwise slight, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming south or southeast 4 or 5, increasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first except in far north, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate near Mull of Kintyre, otherwise slight, occasionally smooth in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Mull of Kintyre, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming east or southeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
The Minch (16)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but mainly smooth or slight near skye.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate near Sutherland, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or southeasterly 5 or 6 later, occasionally 7 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight near Sutherland and rough later in south.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Shetland Isles (18)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight at first east of Shetland.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Sunday 17 May 2026 at 0600 UTC until Sunday 17 May 2026 at 1800 UTC
General situation
A complex and shallow area of low pressure will cover Shetland Waters on Sunday.
Forecast
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 or 3, becoming south or southeast 4 or 5
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Sunday 17 May until 0600 UTC on Monday 18 May
- Wind
- Southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in west
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West to northwest 3 to 4, increasing 4 to 5 early afternoon, backing southwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, with low swell developing.
- Weather
- Occasional showers, perhaps locally heavy later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West to southwest 3 to 4, occasionally 5, backing south during the afternoon, increasing 5 to 6 in the evening, locally 7, veering southwest 4 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate with a low swell.
- Weather
- Showers at first rain from evening, locally heavy, clearing later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate to poor for a time.
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.
Caution: The internet is not part of the Maritime Safety Information system and should never be relied upon as the only means to obtain the latest forecast and warning information. Access to the service may be interrupted or delayed from time to time, updates may also be delayed.
Please refer to GMDSS services, INMARSAT SafetyNET or international NAVTEX for the latest information. When using these web pages, always check that the page on your screen is not from your cache. Use the Refresh or Reload button if in any doubt.