Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
Low pressure will remain to the north of the British Isles, whilst a ridge of high pressure will build across the south. This will bring more settled conditions for a time to southern waters, however rain, showers and strong winds will continue at times further north, moving southwards on Wednesday.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 18:00 (UTC) on Mon 31 Aug 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Tue 1 Sep 2026
Inshore waters and strong winds map
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5, backing southerly 4 to 6, veering westerly later, occasionally 7 later in north.
- Sea state
- To the north and west of Orkney, moderate occasionally slight at first, elsewhere slight occasionally moderate, but smooth or slight in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, veering northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later, then easterly 3 to 5 later in south.
- Sea state
- To the north and west of Orkney, moderate becoming moderate or rough, elsewhere smooth or slight, but slight or moderate at first in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in south, backing southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in Firth of Forth, but elsewhere slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then easterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in Firth of Forth, otherwise slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, becoming mainly fair later in north.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor, becoming good later in north.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly backing southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate until later.
- Weather
- Showers at first, becoming mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, backing south 4 to 6 for a time later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in north, backing westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate until later in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers at first, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, veering northwesterly 3 or 4, backing southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight, becoming slight occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 later, occasionally 7 later in far east.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in far east, decreasing 3 or 4, backing southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5, backing west 3 or 4, then southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight in lyme bay.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight at first in lyme bay, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in far west.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly backing southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in inner Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but slight at first in east, becoming moderate occasionally rough later in west.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West backing southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, backing south 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in far southwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or good occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 3 to 5, backing southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight for a time in far north.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 for a time later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 or 4, backing southwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair, showers later.
- Visibility
- Mostly good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, backing south 3 or 4, veering southwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first, then rain, becoming mostly fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly backing southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 for a time in north.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in north and smooth at first in south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5 later in north and cyclonic 4 to 6 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in far north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- 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 3 or 4, backing southwesterly 4 to 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight in the North Channel, occasionally moderate at first near Mull of Kintyre, but smooth or slight elsewhere.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, veering west 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first east of islay and jura, becoming moderate or rough later away from far southeast.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 or 3, then east or southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough at first in far northwest, becoming smooth or slight later in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, increasing 5 to 7, veering west 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight to the east of skye, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in far southwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then east 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight throughout to the east of skye, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in central areas and later in far south.
- Weather
- Showers until later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, increasing 5 to 7, veering west 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming moderate or rough later except in far north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then east 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in south.
- Weather
- Showers until later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in west, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Monday 31 Aug 2026 at 1800 UTC until Tuesday 01 Sep 2026 at 0600 UTC
General situation
A complex area of low pressure to the west and north of Shetland.
Forecast
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southwesterly, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Tuesday 01 Sep until 1800 UTC on Tuesday 01 Sep
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 backing south 5 or 6, then veering west 6 or 7, perhaps gale 8.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West to northwest 3 to 4, locally 5 at first, decreasing 2 to 3 in the morning, locally 4 mid-channel.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, locally rather rough mid-channel, soon decreasing smooth to slight with a low swell.
- Weather
- Risk of isolated showers.
- Visibility
- Good, perhaps locally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West to southwest 2 to 3, locally 4 mid-channel, increasing 4 to 5 after midnight, perhaps 6 mid-channel later.
- Sea state
- Smooth to slight with a low swell, increasing slight to moderate after midday, rather rough mid-channel later.
- Weather
- Fair or fine.
- Visibility
- Good or very good.
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.