Coast and sea
General situation
A deep Atlantic low close to northwest Scotland will bring strong winds across all areas, and gales for some northern waters. Winds will ease as the low slowly moves away northwards and fills. Further showers will affect most coastlines through Monday.
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
- Southeasterly veering southerly or southwesterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in northwest, backing southerly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough for a time in northwest, becoming slight in south.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first to the west and north of Orkney, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, backing south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Firth of Forth.
- Weather
- Squally showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in south.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast veering south later, 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable becoming southerly or southwesterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5, decreasing 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable becoming southerly or southwesterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest, 2 to 4, backing south 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 or 6, decreasing 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- High at first near Isles of Scilly, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough until later in west, becoming slight or moderate later in east.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, backing south 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in lyme bay.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering west for a time, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in southwest, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 2 to 4, becoming south or southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 2 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in south, becoming slight or moderate, occasionally smooth east of Anglesey.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest, 3 to 5, backing southeast later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming slight or moderate, occasionally smooth east of Anglesey.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first and decreasing 2 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, decreasing 3 or 4, backing south 3 or 4, occasional 5 later.
- Sea state
- Mostly moderate at first, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Mostly good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 3 or 4, backing southeast 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers at first, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest backing south later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north.
- Sea state
- In north, moderate or rough occasionally very rough at first, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 3 or 4, backing southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in north, but slight becoming slight or moderate later in east.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth north and east of arran.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 3 or 4, backing southeasterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, backing southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in east and high until later in west, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, backing southeast 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but rough or very rough at first in entrances.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest backing southeast, 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight north and east of skye.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough near Sutherland, otherwise rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in south, becoming mainly rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest backing southeast, 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate between barra and canna and near Sutherland.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Sunday 12 Apr 2026 at 1200 UTC until Monday 13 Apr 2026 at 0000 UTC
General situation
Deep low pressure to the west maintains a strong southerly or southeasterly flow over Shetland Waters on Sunday. The low pulls away north through Monday.
Forecast
- Wind
- South to southeast 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Monday 13 Apr until 1200 UTC on Monday 13 Apr
- Wind
- South to southeast 6 to gale 8, later decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West to southwest 3 to 4, locally 5 at first, decreasing 2 to 3 soon after dusk, becoming locally variable 1 to 2 overnight.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, locally rather rough to rough in the north and west until dusk, decreasing smooth or slight overnight, with a low to moderate swell throughout.
- Weather
- Isolated showers slight risk of hail and thunderstorms.
- Visibility
- Good or very good, locally moderate at times.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 1 to 3, becoming south to southwest 3 to 4 by late evening, backing south to southeast 4 to 5 after dawn Tuesday.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight with a low swell.
- Weather
- Risk of isolated showers, soon dying out patchy rain spreading into the west of the area later.
- Visibility
- Good or very good, occasionally moderate.
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.