Coast and sea
General situation
A cold front with some rain will clear southeastwards overnight as winds ease across most areas and mainly fair conditions follow. However, rain and strong winds will return to many northwestern areas through Thursday, spreading southeastwards overnight into Friday.
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
- North or northwest 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4, then south or southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north and at first near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Wintry showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 near Rattray Head, veering west 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough to the west and north of Orkney, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Moray Firth and rough near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, wintry later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North 5 to 7, backing northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later, then south or southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first near Rattray Head, becoming smooth or slight later in south.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering west 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
- Weather
- Fair then rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming north, 4 to 6, backing northwest 3 to 5, then south or southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7, veering west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 or 4, veering north 4 to 6, then southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate in north and far east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in south.
- Weather
- Fair then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 or 4, veering north 4 to 6, then backing southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth near shore.
- Weather
- Rain for a time at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming mainly moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Fair then rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest veering north, then backing west or southwest later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in lyme bay, slight or moderate elsewhere.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in east, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Fair then rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West veering north or northwest, then backing west or southwest later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in inner Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 2 later, then backing southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight for a time in north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fair for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7, veering west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough except east of Anglesey.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less, then south or southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight for a time.
- Weather
- Showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, veering west later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
- Weather
- Rain at times, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 or 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then south or southwest 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming slight, then mainly moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 or 6, increasing 6 or 7 for a time, veering west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then south 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in north, becoming smooth or slight for a time in south.
- Weather
- Showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far north and far southeast.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps squally at first.
- 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
- Northwesterly 4 to 6 becoming variable 3 or less, then southerly 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first near Mull of Kintyre, becoming smooth or slight for a time.
- Weather
- Showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 5 to 7, veering westerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later near Mull of Galloway and Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4, then southerly 5 to 7 later, then becoming variable 2 to 4 later in far northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in sheltered east and rough in west.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first in far northwest, otherwise southerly 5 to 7 veering westerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in sheltered east, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, wintry at times later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then south 6 to gale 8 later, then becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in central areas.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly south, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4, then west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in central areas.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, wintry later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then south 6 to gale 8 later, then becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly south, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4, then west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, wintry later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 veering north 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later, then southeast 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in shelter to the east of Shetland, moderate or rough elsewhere.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Wednesday 01 Apr 2026 at 1800 UTC until Thursday 02 Apr 2026 at 0600 UTC
General situation
A showery north or northwesterly flow covers the area.
Forecast
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough in north and west, moderate in southeast, and slight just east of shetland.
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Thursday 02 Apr until 1800 UTC on Thursday 02 Apr
- Wind
- Northerly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming southeasterly 3 to 5 later, occasionally 6 in west later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in north and west, and slight just east of shetland.
- Weather
- Showers then fair
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 5, locally 3 at times, veering north after midnight, decreasing 3 to 4 by midday Thursday, then backing west to northwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight, with a low swell.
- Weather
- Risk of light rain and drizzle, clearing by dawn.
- Visibility
- Good or very good, perhaps occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West to northwest 3 to 4, backing southwest 4 to 5 overnight, perhaps 6 mid-channel at times.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight with a low swell, increasing moderate to rather rough by midday, locally rough in the northwest later.
- Weather
- Rain and drizzle after midnight.
- Visibility
- Good or very 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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