Coast and sea

Inshore waters and strong winds

General situation

A deepening area of low pressure will move northeastwards across eastern England during Thursday evening and then across the North Sea during Thursday night. This is currently bringing a spell of rain across southern and eastern England, as well as gale force winds in places.

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)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5 becoming variable 3 or less, then south or southeast 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough to the west and north of Orkney and smooth or slight in Moray Firth, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers at first in north.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 at times in northwest and in Moray Firth.
Sea state
Rough at first near northwestern Orkney, otherwise mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Moray Firth.
Weather
Showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less, then south or southeast 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate in north, smooth or slight in south.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southeast 3 to 5, backing east or southeast 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in Firth of Forth.
Weather
Showers, mainly later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southerly becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south, backing southerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight.
Weather
Rain at first in south.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first in south.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South backing southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 or 3 later.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather
Showers for a time.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Cyclonic 2 to 4 becoming west 5 to 7 then backing southwest 4 or 5, backing southeast 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather
Rain then mainly fair.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, becoming good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first and 2 later.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally moderate in north but becoming smooth later in south.
Weather
Showers for a time.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5 at first in north, otherwise southeasterly veering southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing southeasterly 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in east but becoming smooth or slight in Thames Estuary and The Wash.
Weather
Rain then showers, becoming fair later.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, becoming good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeasterly 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 at times.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southerly 6 to gale 8 veering southwesterly 3 to 5, then backing southeasterly later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, becoming good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first and 2 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
Weather
Showers then fair.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southerly 6 at first in far east, otherwise westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 backing southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough at first in east, otherwise moderate.
Weather
Rain at first in east, otherwise showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor at first in east, otherwise good occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing southeast 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Showers, becoming fair later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or northwest 2 to 4 backing south or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate in east, rough or very rough in west.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6 backing south or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state
Very rough at first to the west of Land's End, otherwise moderate or rough, but becoming slight in Lyme Bay.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less becoming southwest 4 to 6, then backing south or southeast later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later near Land's End.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly 4 to 6 until later in west, otherwise southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Very rough at first near Land's End, otherwise moderate or rough in west and slight or moderate in east.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4 becoming south 4 to 6, then backing southeast later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in west but smooth to the east of Anglesey.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first and 3 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough until later in west, otherwise mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight to the east of Anglesey.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally variable 2 at first, increasing 6 at times later in north.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later in north.
Weather
Mainly fair then showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first in east.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast 4 to 6, backing east or northeast 2 to 4 in Morecambe Bay and Solway Firth.
Sea state
Smooth or slight in south, slight or moderate in north.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Isle of Man (12)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southeast 2 to 4 veering south or southwest 3 to 5, backing south or southeast 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight, becoming moderate later.
Weather
Fair then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state
Moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South 3 to 5, backing southeast 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight until later in east, otherwise mainly moderate, but occasionally rough in far north.
Weather
Fair then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, then becoming variable 3 at times.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

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 3 or 4 backing southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 except in far north.
Sea state
Mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in far north.
Weather
Fair then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6 backing easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in far north.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South backing southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate to the east of Islay and Jura, otherwise mainly moderate or rough, but very rough at first near western Tiree.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
East or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first and 3 later.
Sea state
Rough until later in west, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

The Minch (16)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, backing south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight to the east and north of Skye.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in south and 2 in north.
Sea state
Slight or moderate at first in west and south, otherwise smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers then mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, backing south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough until later to the west of the Outer Hebrides, otherwise moderate or rough, but becoming slight or moderate near Sutherland.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in south and 2 in north.
Sea state
Slight or moderate near Sutherland, but elsewhere moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers then mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

Shetland Isles (18)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5 becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate in east.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)

Strong wind warning

Valid Thursday 15 Jan 2026 at 1800 UTC until Friday 16 Jan 2026 at 0600 UTC

General situation

A complex area of low pressure remains slow moving to the west of the UK. A mainly south or southwesterly flow will cover Shetland Waters.

Forecast

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in northeast
Sea state
Rough, occasionally very rough in northwest, but moderate east of Shetland
Weather
Showers
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate

Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Friday 16 Jan until 1800 UTC on Friday 16 Jan

Wind
Variable 2 to 4
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in northwest
Weather
Showers
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate

Channel Islands (19)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southerly 6 in far southeast of the area at first, otherwise west to northwest 3 to 4, backing southwest 4 to 5 by midnight, further backing southerly by midday Friday, perhaps locally 6 later.
Sea state
Rather rough or rough, locally moderate in the south and east of the area.
Weather
Rain, locally heavy, clearing during Thursday evening to isolated showers.
Visibility
Moderate to good, locally poor till midnight.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South 4 to 5, locally 6 mid-channel at first, backing south to southeast 3 to 4 Saturday morning.
Sea state
Slight to moderate, locally rather rough in the north at first, decreasing smooth or slight with a low swell.
Weather
Isolated showers some mist or coastal fog Saturday morning.
Visibility
Good, locally poor or very poor Saturday morning.

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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