Coast and sea

Inshore waters and strong winds

General situation

The United Kingdom will lie in a mainly southerly or southeasterly airflow during the next 48 hours, with most parts having either rain or showers. There will also be some mist or fog patches at first. The wind will strengthen during Monday night and Tuesday, with gales developing in western areas.

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
South or southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 at times in Moray Firth.
Sea state
Smooth or slight in Moray Firth, elsewhere mainly slight or moderate, but becoming moderate or rough later in north.
Weather
Rain at times, mainly in east.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor in east and in Moray Firth.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 3 at first and 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough in north, slight or moderate in south.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate in west and poor in east.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southeast, veering southwest for a time, 3 to 5, then becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 3 or less becoming southeast 4 or 5.
Sea state
Moderate in north, slight or moderate in south.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less, then southeast 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally moderate in north.
Weather
Rain at times, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate later.
Weather
Rain at times, fog patches at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southeast 3 or 4.
Sea state
Slight.
Weather
Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state
Slight, becoming moderate in north.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 2 or 3 veering southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Fog patches in north.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in north and poor in south.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly 3 or 4 backing southeasterly 4 or 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Rain at times later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Easterly 2 to 4 veering southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Occasional rain at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight, becoming moderate in west.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
East or southeast veering south, 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally smooth in west.
Weather
Occasional rain, mainly in west.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor in west.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly 3 to 5, backing southeasterly 5 or 6 later, increasing 7 at times later in west.
Sea state
Slight becoming moderate, then occasionally rough later in west.
Weather
Occasional rain, then showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times later in west.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Lyme Bay but becoming rough later in west.
Weather
Occasional rain, but becoming fair for a time.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, veering southwesterly 4 or 5 later in west.
Sea state
Slight at first in Lyme Bay, otherwise moderate or rough, but becoming rough or very rough in west.
Weather
Showers, then rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less becoming southeasterly 2 to 4, then cyclonic 4 or 5 later, occasionally 6 later in west.
Sea state
Smooth or slight in east, but in west, slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Rain at times, mainly in east, fog patches in east.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in east.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later in west, then veering southerly 4 to 6 later in west.
Sea state
Slight or moderate in east, mainly moderate or rough in west, but occasionally very rough later in far west.
Weather
Showers, then rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

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

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South 2 to 4 backing southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west, but becoming rough later near St David's Head.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast 4 to 6, veering southwest 3 to 5 for a time at first, then increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate in east, moderate or rough in west, but occasionally very rough later near St David's Head.
Weather
Showers, then rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in northwest, becoming variable 2 at times elsewhere.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming moderate at times in northwest.
Weather
Rain at times, mainly in east.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor in east.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, then increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming moderate in north, then occasionally rough later in northwest.
Weather
Occasional rain, but becoming fair for a time.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first in east.

Isle of Man (12)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally moderate in west.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southeast 3 or 4 increasing 4 to 6, then 6 or 7 later.
Sea state
Slight becoming slight or moderate, then occasionally rough later in south.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 3 at first in south and 6 later in north.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in far north.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate until later except in far north, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain, but becoming fair for a time.
Visibility
Moderate or 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 or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 in far north.
Sea state
Mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in far north.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, veering southerly 4 to 6 for a time, then increasing 5 to 7 later, occasionally gale 8 later in North Channel.
Sea state
Smooth or slight in far north, elsewhere mainly slight or moderate, but becoming rough later in North Channel.
Weather
Rain for a time.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough in west.
Weather
Showers, then rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southeast 4 to 6, backing east or southeast 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west and slight in east.
Weather
Rain then mainly fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

The Minch (16)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southeast 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight just east and north of Skye, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers then rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming southeast 4 to 6, then backing east later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east and north and rough later in west and south.
Weather
Rain at times, becoming fair later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southeast 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, then becoming very rough later to the west of the Outer Hebrides.
Weather
Showers then rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming southeasterly 4 to 6, then backing easterly later and increasing 7 in far south.
Sea state
Rough or very rough to the west of the Outer Hebrides but moderate or rough further east.
Weather
Rain at times, becoming fair later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Shetland Isles (18)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

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

Valid Sunday 18 Jan 2026 at 1800 UTC until Monday 19 Jan 2026 at 0600 UTC

General situation

High pressure over Scandinavia and low pressure to the west of the UK will maintain a south or southeast airflow over Shetland Waters.

Forecast

Wind
Southeasterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 in east
Sea state
Moderate or rough
Weather
Rain or showers
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor

Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Monday 19 Jan until 1800 UTC on Monday 19 Jan

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in east
Sea state
Moderate or rough
Weather
Rain or showers, becoming fair later in west
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor

Channel Islands (19)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Eats to southeast 2 to 3 locally 4, veering south overnight, increasing 3 to 4 locally 5 by dusk.
Sea state
Smooth, locally slight, with a low swell.
Weather
Occasional light rain or drizzle, local mist or fog patches.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate, locally poor or perhaps very poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly 3 to 4 locally 5, generally increasing 5 to 6 overnight, backing southeast 5 to 7 by midday Tuesday.
Sea state
Smooth to slight with a low swell, gradually increasing moderate to rough.
Weather
Rain, drizzle, mist and a risk of fog patches, all clearing eastwards by midnight.
Visibility
Moderate to poor in the east at first, perhaps locally very poor, otherwise good.

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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