Coast and Sea

Inshore waters and strong winds


General situation

High pressure centred out in the Atlantic extends a ridge eastwards across the British Isles. This will give a strong northeasterly flow in the south. The ridge will eventually decline southwards, and allow a frontal trough to move into the north later on Sunday.

Issued at: .

For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 18:00 (UTC) on Sat 9 May 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Sun 10 May 2026

Inshore waters and strong winds map


Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming west 4 or 5, then veering north or northwest 5 or 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in far northwest and smooth or slight in Moray Firth.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
North 5 or 6, backing northwest 4 or 5, then becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate in Moray Firth.
Weather
Rain at first in south, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first in south.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northeast becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming west or northwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate near Rattray Head.
Weather
Showers, rain later in north.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later in north.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West 4 or 5, veering north 5 or 6, then becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough near Rattray Head.
Weather
Rain at first, then showers, fair later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northeast 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain at first, then showers, fair later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming north 5 or 6, then backing northwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Slight becoming moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Fair at first, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
North 4 or 5, veering northeast 5 or 6, then becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain at first, then showers, fair later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 5 or 6.
Sea state
Slight, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Fair at first, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northeasterly 2 to 4, increasing 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later in north.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming moderate.
Weather
Showers later.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northeasterly 4 to 6, backing northwesterly 3 or 4, then increasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far northeast.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northeasterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first, and increasing 7 at times later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight at first.
Weather
Fair at first, then occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northeasterly 6 or 7, backing northerly 4 or 5, then becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time later.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather
Rain at first, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
East 2 to 4, backing northeast 5 or 6.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Fair at first, then occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northeast 5 or 6, backing north 4 or 5, then becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather
Showers later.
Visibility
Good.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in far west.
Weather
Showers, fair later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northeast backing north 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing northwest 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but rough at first in far west.
Weather
Showers later.
Visibility
Good.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in far west.
Weather
Showers, fair later.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in west, backing northerly or northwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight in east, slight or moderate in west.
Weather
Showers later.
Visibility
Good.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
North or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northeast backing northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, then veering north 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather
Fair at first, then showers.
Visibility
Good.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northeast, backing west or northwest later, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in west.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
North or northwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather
Fair at first, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Isle of Man (12)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
North or northeast, backing northwest later, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northwest 4 or 5, veering north or northeast 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or drizzle for a time.
Visibility
Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
North or northeast 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4, then backing northwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
Weather
Showers later.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate in north, smooth or slight in south.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in North Channel, becoming variable 2 to 4, then northwesterly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Firth of Clyde.
Weather
Showers later.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northwesterly 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Firth of Clyde.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northwest 4 or 5, veering north 3 or 4, then backing northwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in shelter.
Weather
Showers later.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northwest 4 or 5, veering northeast 2 to 4, then becoming variable later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in shelter.
Weather
Showers, fair later.
Visibility
Good.

The Minch (16)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then west or northwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate in far northeast.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
North or northwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then west or northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
North or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Shetland Isles (18)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northwest 4 or 5, backing west 3 or 4, then veering north 5 or 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

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

Strong wind warning

Valid Saturday 09 May 2026 at 1800 UTC until Sunday 10 May 2026 at 0600 UTC

General situation

Showery northwesterly flow covers Shetland Waters. Low pressure system pushes southeast across Shetland Waters through Sunday afternoon.

Forecast

Wind
Northwest 4 or 5
Sea state
Rough, but moderate southeast of shetland, and slight in lee shelter just east of shetland.
Weather
Showers
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate

Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Sunday 10 May until 1800 UTC on Sunday 10 May

Wind
Northwest 4 or 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming north 5 or 6 later
Sea state
Moderate or rough, but slight in lee shelter just east of shetland
Weather
Showers at first, then rain
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate or poor

Channel Islands (19)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
East to northeast 4 to 5, increasing 5 to 6 with gusts to 35kt overnight, perhaps locally 7 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, increasing slight to moderate after midnight, further increasing rather rough to rough in the north and west by mid-morning.
Weather
Scattered showers, perhaps locally heavy and thundery, becoming isolated after midnight.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northeast 5 to 6 with gusts to 40kt, perhaps locally 7 until dawn, backing northwest 3 to 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate to rather rough, decreasing smooth or slight with a low swell around midday.
Weather
Isolated showers, mainly dying out patchy rain overnight, clearing southward after dawn.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor.

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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