Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
A brisk west to northwesterly flow currently lies across the United Kingdom bringing strong winds in places. Some rain, drizzle or showers will affect many areas at times, more so in the north and west.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 12:00 (UTC) on Sun 26 Jul 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Mon 27 Jul 2026
Inshore waters and strong winds map
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less at first in south, otherwise westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 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
- Rain at first in south, otherwise showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first in north, becoming variable 2 at times in south, then backing southeasterly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- To the west and north of Orkney, moderate, occasionally rough at first, elsewhere smooth or slight, but occasionally moderate at first except in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 near Rattray Head, then backing southwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less for a time in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less for a time at first, then backing west or northwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 2 to 4 backing south or southwest 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first except close inshore.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in south and variable 2 at first in north, then becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming west or southwest 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate for a time in north.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly veering northwesterly, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming variable mainly westerly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in The Wash and Thames Estuary, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable becoming westerly or southwesterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 veering northwesterly 3 to 5, backing westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less for a time in west.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first in east, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, then decreasing 3 at times, backing west or southwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5 veering northwest 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, decreasing 2 or 3 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first near the Isles of Scilly, otherwise slight or moderate, but becoming smooth later in Lyme Bay.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 2 to 4 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in east, slight or moderate in west.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight or moderate in north.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 3 to 5 backing southwesterly 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less later except in northwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north, backing westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in west and smooth in far north.
- Weather
- Fair, then rain or drizzle at times in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in north.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, backing west or southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West backing southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight occasionally moderate in north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, mainly in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in north.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, then backing southwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Showers then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in north, backing southwesterly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in north and smooth later in south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less at first in north, otherwise southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in far north, smooth or slight elsewhere.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or 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
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate until later except in far north, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable mainly southwesterly 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate near Mull of Kintyre, smooth or slight elsewhere.
- Weather
- Showers then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 decreasing 2 to 4, backing west or southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first in west and far south, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 or 4 backing south or southwest 2 to 4, then occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight to the east of Islay and Jura.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwesterly 3 or 4 later, occasionally 5 later in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in central and southern areas but moderate in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5 backing south or southwest 2 to 4, then occasionally 5 again later.
- Sea state
- Moderate in far north but elsewhere smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5 backing westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in north.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate or rough, but slight or moderate between Barra and Canna, and also at first near Sutherland.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5 backing south or southwest 2 to 4, then occasionally 5 again later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first to the west of the Outer Hebrides, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in shelter to the east of Shetland, elsewhere mainly moderate or rough, but becoming rough or very rough in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Sunday 26 Jul 2026 at 1200 UTC until Monday 27 Jul 2026 at 0000 UTC
General situation
An area of low pressure will be slow moving in the Norwegian Sea.
Forecast
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Monday 27 Jul until 1200 UTC on Monday 27 Jul
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, but moderate in shelter east of Shetland.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 4 to 5, perhaps locally 6, veering northwest by late evening, decreasing 3 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, occasionally rather rough in the west, with a low swell.
- Weather
- Rain and drizzle with a risk of mist or fog patches, clearing soon, then the slight risk of a shower.
- Visibility
- Good to moderate, perhaps locally poor, becoming good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West to northwest 3 to 4, becoming variable 1 to 2 around midnight.
- Sea state
- Mainly smooth or slight, but moderate in the west at first, with a low swell.
- Weather
- Fair, but perhaps some mist or fog patches Tuesday morning.
- Visibility
- Good to moderate, perhaps locally poor.
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.