Coast and sea
General situation
High pressure centred over the North Sea will slowly drift eastwards towards Germany during the period. Many areas will see dry and fine weather, however strong winds and showers are expected in the north on Wednesday, before rain and strong winds then push into western areas on Thursday.
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
- Southwesterly backing southerly 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times in east.
- Sea state
- To the north and west of Orkney, moderate or rough, elsewhere mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in the Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South, veering west later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- To the north and west of Orkney, moderate or rough, elsewhere mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in the Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times later near Rattray Head.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight until later in south, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times in east, then veering westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South backing southeast later, 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 to 5, veering northwest 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly at first in south, otherwise southeasterly, 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times later in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 to 5, veering easterly or southeasterly 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly, veering southeasterly later, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly, 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East veering southeast later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, then 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)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East veering southeast, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate west of the Lizard peninsula, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate west of the Lizard peninsula, otherwise smooth or slight, becoming moderate or rough later west of Plymouth.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later in west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later in west.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly veering southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later near St Davids Head.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth in far east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later in west.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in east, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in west.
- Weather
- Fair, then rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 3 at first, then increasing 6 at times later except in Cardigan Bay.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in south, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, veering north or northwest 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair, then rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly 3 or 4, veering southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times later in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers at first in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in north, veering northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in Liverpool Bay, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 or 5, increasing south or southeast 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate, building slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 5 or 6 decreasing 4 or 5, veering north or northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight at first in south.
- Weather
- Fair, then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly veering northwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times later in the North Channel.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in the North Channel.
- Weather
- Occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly veering northwesterly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times in the North Channel.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in Firth of Clyde, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north and west.
- Weather
- Showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast, veering northwest, 4 to 6, then backing west 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time in north.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but rough at times near entrances.
- Weather
- Fair then showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 5 to 7, veering northwest 5 or 6, then backing west 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough near entrances.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first in north and later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough for a time in north.
- Weather
- Fair then showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly veering westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time in west.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest backing south later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in north and west, moderate or rough in south and east.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Wednesday 04 Mar 2026 at 0000 UTC until Wednesday 04 Mar 2026 at 1200 UTC
General situation
Ridge of high pressure across Shetland Waters will decline during Wednesday. Southwesterly flow will back southerly later.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first in southeast
- Sea state
- Rough, but moderate in lee shelter of shetland. occasionally very rough at first in north
- Weather
- Fair
- Visibility
- Good
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Wednesday 04 Mar until 0000 UTC on Thursday 05 Mar
- Wind
- Southwest backing south 4 to 6
- Sea state
- Rough occasionally very rough in north and west, but moderate in lee shelter of shetland
- Weather
- Showers later
- Visibility
- Mainly good
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly 1 to 3, locally 4 mid-channel, veering southeast 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, with a low swell.
- Weather
- A risk of mist or fog patches near the french coast early morning.
- Visibility
- Good or very good, perhaps locally poor or very poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic later, then north to northwest.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, with a low swell.
- Weather
- A risk of mist or fog patches around dawn, then rain or showers after dusk.
- Visibility
- Good or very good, locally moderate later, perhaps locally poor or very poor at first.
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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