Coast and Sea

Inshore waters and strong winds


General situation

The United Kingdom lies in a light westerly or northwesterly airflow. Through today, an Atlantic frontal system will slowly move eastwards to bring outbreaks of rain or drizzle, followed by further rain or showers on Sunday.

Issued at: .

For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 06:00 (UTC) on Sat 16 May 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Sun 17 May 2026

Inshore waters and strong winds map


Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first in east, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable, becoming south or southwest later, 2 to 4.
Sea state
Smooth or slight in Moray Firth, elsewhere slight or moderate, occasionally rough later west of Orkney.
Weather
Rain or showers, fair later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first in north, becoming variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Rough at first near Rattray Head, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers at first in north, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times.
Sea state
Moderate at first near Rattray Head, otherwise smooth or slight.
Weather
Rain or showers, fair later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or northwest, becoming variable, 2 to 4, becoming southeast, then veering west or southwest later, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough at first and slight later.
Weather
Occasional rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West or southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West becoming variable, then south or southwest later, 2 to 4.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight in south.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West backing southwest 2 to 4.
Sea state
Moderate at first in north, otherwise slight.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Westerly becoming variable, then southwesterly later, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state
Smooth in the Thames estuary, otherwise slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly, becoming variable for a time, 2 to 4.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northwesterly 3 or 4, backing westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northwest 3 or 4, backing west or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West or northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

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

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest, veering west or northwest, 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times.
Sea state
Smooth or slight in east, slight or moderate in west.
Weather
Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly or northwesterly, backing southwesterly later, 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time in west.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough near the Isles of Scilly.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or southwest 3 to 5, veering northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming moderate in west.
Weather
Occasional rain or drizzle, showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northwest backing west or southwest, 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in southwest.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West 2 or 3, backing southwest, then veering west later, 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather
Occasional rain or drizzle, showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in south.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northwest 2 or 3, backing south or southwest, then veering west, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather
Occasional rain or drizzle, showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West backing southwest for a time, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, then decreasing 3 at times later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Isle of Man (12)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West 2 or 3, backing south or southwest 3 or 4, then veering and increasing west 4 or 5.
Sea state
Slight, building slight or moderate later.
Weather
Fair, then outbreaks of rain and drizzle for a time.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West 4 or 5, backing southwest, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, falling slight later.
Weather
Fair, then occasional showers for a time.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less, becoming southeast 3 or 4, then veering west 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far north.
Weather
Occasional rain or drizzle, showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable, then becoming south or southwest later, 2 to 4.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, but occasionally moderate in north.
Weather
Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less, becoming southerly 3 or 4, then veering westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later near the Mull of Kintyre.
Weather
Occasional rain or drizzle, showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, but moderate near the Mull of Kintyre.
Weather
Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less, becoming southeast 3 or 4, then veering west or southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming rough later in west.
Weather
Rain or drizzle, showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West or southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough in west and slight in eastern shelter.
Weather
Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

The Minch (16)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in north.
Weather
Occasional rain, showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Smooth or slight in central areas, otherwise moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 later.
Sea state
Slight at first in south, otherwise moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Occasional rain, showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Shetland Isles (18)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
North 4 or 5, backing northwest, then backing southwest later, 2 to 4.
Sea state
Rough at first in northwest, otherwise moderate, occasionally slight in south.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

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

Valid Saturday 16 May 2026 at 0600 UTC until Saturday 16 May 2026 at 1800 UTC

General situation

A complex and shallow area of low pressure will cover Shetland Waters over the weekend.

Forecast

Wind
North or northwest 4 or 5 becoming cyclonic 2 to 4.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Saturday 16 May until 0600 UTC on Sunday 17 May

Wind
Cyclonic 2 to 4.
Sea state
Moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Channel Islands (19)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West 3 to 4, backing southwest 4 to 5 by midday, veering west to northwest by midnight.
Sea state
Smooth to slight, increasing slight to moderate.
Weather
Showers, merging into rain at times, perhaps locally heavy in the southeast this afternoon.
Visibility
Good or very good, locally moderate or perhaps poor at times.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly 4 to 5, locally 3 at first.
Sea state
Slight with a low swell developing, locally moderate at times.
Weather
Isolated showers at first patchy rain spreading in from the northwest overnight.
Visibility
Good or very good, locally moderate or perhaps poor at times.

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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