Coast and sea
General situation
An area of high pressure over southwestern parts of England will decline, as an increasingly strong, cold and showery northwesterly airflow spreads southwards across the United Kingdom. The airflow will become particularly strong and cold across northeastern waters on new year's day, where severe gales will be accompanied by heavy snow showers.
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
- Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first near Orkney.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in shelter, otherwise very rough or high.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly, veering northerly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate in shelter, otherwise rough or very rough, occasionally high in north.
- Weather
- Squally snow showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 for a time near Rattray Head.
- Sea state
- Slight at first in south, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers, becoming wintry.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first near Rattray Head.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Squally snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West, veering northwest, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming wintry later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West, veering northwest, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming wintry later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later near Gibraltar Point.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate near Gibraltar Point.
- Weather
- Squally snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly 5 to 7, veering northwesterly 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough in north.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 later in the Thames estuary.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but rough in north.
- Weather
- Fair then wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly, veering northwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later near North Foreland.
- Sea state
- Smooth at first in west, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first near North Foreland.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in west.
- Weather
- Wintry showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West, veering northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in east.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near headlands.
- Weather
- Wintry showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later in far west.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in west.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate in far west, otherwise slight, occasionally smooth in shelter.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 2 to 4, veering northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 in the Bristol Channel.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later near St Davids Head.
- Weather
- Wintry 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
- West 4 to 6, veering northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight at first in south, otherwise moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West, veering northwest, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight near Solway Firth.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight near Solway Firth.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West, veering northwest, 6 or 7, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly, veering northwesterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight for a time in south, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers, wintry later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in far south.
- Weather
- Squally snow showers.
- 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
- Westerly, veering northwesterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in the Firth of Clyde.
- Weather
- Squally showers, wintry later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in the Firth of Clyde.
- Weather
- Squally snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest, veering north later, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far west.
- Weather
- Squally showers, becoming wintry.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far west.
- Weather
- Squally snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest, veering north, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- In far north, rough becoming very rough, elsewhere, slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers, becoming wintry.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Very rough in far north, elsewhere moderate or rough, but occasionally slight to the south and east of skye.
- Weather
- Squally snow showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest, veering north, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 near Cape Wrath.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally rough at first in far south.
- Weather
- Squally showers, becoming wintry.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally rough near barra and canna.
- Weather
- Squally snow showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, but in sheltered east moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally snow showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Thursday 01 Jan 2026 at 0000 UTC until Thursday 01 Jan 2026 at 1200 UTC
General situation
A strong northerly airflow becomes established with frequent snow and hail showers over Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- North or northwest 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 for a time.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, but occasionally rough east of shetland.
- Weather
- Snow and hail showers showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor or very poor.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Thursday 01 Jan until 0000 UTC on Friday 02 Jan
- Wind
- North 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Snow and hail showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor or very poor.
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 1 to 3, becoming west to southwest 3 to 4 in the south, and northwest 4 to 5 in the north by dawn, then generally northwest 4 to 5 during the afternoon.
- Sea state
- Locally smooth at first, otherwise slight.
- Weather
- A risk of mist in the far southeast overnight scattered showers developing after dawn.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor overnight.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 5, locally 3 in the south until dawn Friday, occasionally 6 in the north of the area from late morning.
- Sea state
- Slight, locally moderate mid-channel at times, generally increasing moderate after dawn Friday.
- Weather
- Isolated showers soon clearing scattered showers developing dawn Friday, perhaps heavy with hail.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or perhaps poor.
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.
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.