Coast and sea
General situation
The United Kingdom will lie in a southwesterly airflow during Thursday night and Friday, with showers affecting many areas, especially in the north where they will be squally at times. The wind will be strong, but with gales gradually becoming confined to northern waters.
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
- West or southwest 4 to 6, backing south or southwest 6 to gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough to the west and north of Orkney and slight in Moray Firth, but elsewhere moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, squally for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6 backing south 3 to 5, then southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- To the west and north of Orkney, rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough, but elsewhere slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times, then decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in north, slight or moderate in south.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6 backing south 3 to 5, then southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Firth of Forth.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times, then decreasing 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 backing south 3 to 5, then backing southeast later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in north.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, then decreasing 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers then fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 backing south or southeast 3 or 4, then east or southeast 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in south.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southeasterly 2 to 4, then backing easterly 3 to 5 for a time later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in east, then decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in west.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 4 to 6 backing southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight later in far west.
- Weather
- Rain at first in far east, otherwise showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first in far east.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 or 4 backing southeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight at first in far west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, backing south or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- In east, moderate or rough, occasionally slight later in Lyme Bay, but in west very rough, occasionally high at first near the Isles of Scilly.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first near the Isles of Scilly.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 backing southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in west, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- In east, moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first in Lyme Bay, but in west, rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest mainly 4 to 6, but 6 to gale 8 at first near Pembrokeshire, then backing south later.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate or rough, but occasionally very rough in west and slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 6 backing southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in west, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in west, slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing south 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate or rough, but occasionally very rough at first in west and slight later in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 6 backing southeasterly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 3 or 4 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate to the east of Anglesey, elsewhere moderate or rough, occasionally very rough near St David's Head.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing south 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 4 or 5 backing southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 6 or 7, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 backing southeast 5 or 6, increasing 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing south 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 4 to 6 backing southeast 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- 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
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing southerly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in North Channel and slight in far north.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming squally for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 6 backing southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in North Channel.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in North Channel.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times, then backing south 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- High until later in far west, otherwise mainly rough or very rough, but moderate in shelter.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 6 backing southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in south and west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7 veering west or southwest 6 to gale 8, backing south or southwest 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight just northeast of Skye, but elsewhere moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6 backing southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in west and south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in north.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7 veering west or southwest 6 to gale 8, backing south or southwest 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high until later to the west of the Outer Hebrides, otherwise rough or very rough, occasionally moderate near Sutherland.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6 backing southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in south.
- Sea state
- Mainly rough or very rough, but moderate or rough near Sutherland.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast veering west or southwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, then decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough in east and north.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Friday 19 Dec 2025 at 0000 UTC until Friday 19 Dec 2025 at 1200 UTC
General situation
Complex low to the north and northwest bringing a southwesterly airflow.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly veering westerly or southwesterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in east
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, but occasionally high in west
- Weather
- Rain then showers, risk thunder later
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate, perhaps poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Friday 19 Dec until 0000 UTC on Saturday 20 Dec
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in southeast
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, but occasionally moderate in east
- Weather
- Showers, risk thunder at first
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate, perhaps poor later
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South to southwest 5 to 6, with gusts to 40kt briefly possible at first, veering west 4 to 5 by midnight, with gusts to 30kt near any showers, gradually backing southwest 3 to 4 through Friday.
- Sea state
- Rather rough to very rough, gradually decreasing slight to moderate with a moderate swell.
- Weather
- Rain or showers this evening, perhaps locally heavy, then risk of isolated showers through Friday.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, locally poor this evening, becoming generally good after midnight.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 4, backing south to southeast 4 to 5 overnight, increasing 5 to 6 by midday, with gusts to 35kt possible later.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, decreasing smooth to slight overnight, then gradually increasing moderate to rather rough through Saturday, a moderate swell throughout.
- Weather
- Risk of isolated showers at first, then again towards dusk Saturday.
- Visibility
- Good.
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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