Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
The United Kingdom lies in a light westerly or northwesterly airflow. Through today, an Atlantic frontal system will slowly move eastwards to bring outbreaks of rain or drizzle, followed by further rain or showers on Sunday.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 06:00 (UTC) on Sat 16 May 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Sun 17 May 2026
Inshore waters and strong winds map
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first in east, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable, becoming south or southwest later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in Moray Firth, elsewhere slight or moderate, occasionally rough later west of Orkney.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first in north, becoming variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first near Rattray Head, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first in north, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first near Rattray Head, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest, becoming variable, 2 to 4, becoming southeast, then veering west or southwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first and slight later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West becoming variable, then south or southwest later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in south.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West backing southwest 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first in north, otherwise slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly becoming variable, then southwesterly later, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth in the Thames estuary, otherwise slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly, becoming variable for a time, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 or 4, backing westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 or 4, backing west or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west or northwest, 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in east, slight or moderate in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly, backing southwesterly later, 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough near the Isles of Scilly.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, veering northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest backing west or southwest, 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 2 or 3, backing southwest, then veering west later, 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 2 or 3, backing south or southwest, then veering west, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West backing southwest for a time, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, then decreasing 3 at times later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 2 or 3, backing south or southwest 3 or 4, then veering and increasing west 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, building slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair, then outbreaks of rain and drizzle for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, backing southwest, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, falling slight later.
- Weather
- Fair, then occasional showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southeast 3 or 4, then veering west 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable, then becoming south or southwest later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but occasionally moderate in north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southerly 3 or 4, then veering westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later near the Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but moderate near the Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southeast 3 or 4, then veering west or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough later in west.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in west and slight in eastern shelter.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in central areas, otherwise moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight at first in south, otherwise moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shetland Isles (18)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North 4 or 5, backing northwest, then backing southwest later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in northwest, otherwise moderate, occasionally slight in south.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Saturday 16 May 2026 at 0600 UTC until Saturday 16 May 2026 at 1800 UTC
General situation
A complex and shallow area of low pressure will cover Shetland Waters over the weekend.
Forecast
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 or 5 becoming cyclonic 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Saturday 16 May until 0600 UTC on Sunday 17 May
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 3 to 4, backing southwest 4 to 5 by midday, veering west to northwest by midnight.
- Sea state
- Smooth to slight, increasing slight to moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, merging into rain at times, perhaps locally heavy in the southeast this afternoon.
- Visibility
- Good or very good, locally moderate or perhaps poor at times.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 5, locally 3 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight with a low swell developing, locally moderate at times.
- Weather
- Isolated showers at first patchy rain spreading in from the northwest overnight.
- Visibility
- Good or very good, locally moderate or perhaps poor at times.
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.