Coast and Sea

Inshore waters and strong winds


General situation

Low pressure centred near west Scotland giving a few showers initially to the inshore waters, will fill, as a deeper Atlantic low moves east towards the British Isles. This will bring strengthening winds and outbreaks of rain later on Monday and more especially on Tuesday. Showers will follow the rain from the west on Tuesday.

Issued at: .

For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 06:00 (UTC) on Mon 18 May 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Tue 19 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 southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight at first in south, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 near Orkney, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in east.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South 2 or 3, backing southeast 4 or 5.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally smooth at first in south, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Showers in south.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate in south.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast 4 to 6, veering south or southwest 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
Weather
Rain then showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southeast 2 or 3, increasing 4 or 5.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast 4 to 6, veering south 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain then showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southeast 2 to 4, increasing 4 or 5, occasionally 3 until later.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southeast 5 or 6, decreasing 3 to 5, veering southwest later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain then showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwesterly 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in east.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery in north, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly, veering southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Thames estuary.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Westerly backing southwesterly, 3 to 5, then backing southerly or southeasterly 5 or 6 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight at first in far east, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers at first, rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly veering southwesterly, 5 or 6.
Sea state
Moderate.
Weather
Rain then showers, becoming mainly fair.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, becoming good.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southerly or southeasterly 5 or 6 later, veering southwesterly 4 or 5 later in west.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough later in south.
Weather
Rain then showers, fair later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest backing south, 4 or 5, increasing 5 or 6 later, then veering southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough in west.
Weather
Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later near Isles of Scilly.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or southwest backing south, 3 to 5, backing southeast 4 to 6 later, then veering southwest later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough at first in west.
Weather
Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate in east, moderate or rough in west.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West becoming variable, 2 to 4, then becoming south 3 to 5, backing southeast 5 or 6 for a time later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth east of Anglesey.
Weather
Showers, rain for a time.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South veering southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming rough at times in west.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 5 or 6 later, occasionally 7 later near Mull of Galloway.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast veering south or southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Isle of Man (12)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southwest 2 to 4, backing southeast 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Slight, becoming mainly moderate later.
Weather
Mainly fair, then rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast veering south or southwest, 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Mainly moderate.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5, increasing 5 or 6 later, occasionally 7 later in northeast.
Sea state
Smooth or slight at first in south, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers then occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5, veering southwesterly later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain then thundery showers.
Visibility
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
Variable 3 or less, becoming southeasterly 4 or 5, increasing 5 or 6 later, occasionally 7 later in North Channel.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Mull of Kintyre, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Showers then fair, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeasterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 in North Channel, veering southerly, then southwesterly later, 4 or 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Firth of Clyde.
Weather
Rain then showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less, becoming east or southeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far northwest.
Weather
Mainly fair, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast 5 to 7, veering south, then southwest later, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough west of Tiree.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

The Minch (16)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable becoming east or southeast, 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but mainly smooth or slight near skye.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
East or southeast 4 to 6, veering south or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight in north and east, slight or moderate in southwest.
Weather
Rain at times, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable becoming east or southeast, 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough later in far southwest.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
East or southeast 4 to 6, veering south or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in south.
Weather
Rain at times, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shetland Isles (18)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight just northeast of Shetland.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

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

Strong wind warning

Valid Monday 18 May 2026 at 0600 UTC until Monday 18 May 2026 at 1800 UTC

General situation

Low pressure west of the UK maintains a southeasterly flow over Shetland Waters

Forecast

Wind
Southeast 3 to 5
Sea state
Moderate, but slight just east of shetland.
Weather
Mainly fair
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Monday 18 May until 0600 UTC on Tuesday 19 May

Wind
Southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in southwest later.
Sea state
Moderate, but slight just east of shetland at first.
Weather
Mainly fair
Visibility
Good

Channel Islands (19)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest 4 to 5, decreasing 3 to 4 by late morning, locally variable 1 to 2 in the south for a time in the afternoon, becoming south 4 to 5 during the evening, increasing 5 to 6 overnight.
Sea state
Slight to moderate, with a low swell.
Weather
Isolated showers rain spreading eastwards by dusk, likely heavy around midnight, clearing to isolated showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate, locally poor for a time.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South 4 to 5, veering southwest by midday, locally 6 in the north of the area during the evening.
Sea state
Slight to moderate with a low swell, increasing rather rough to rough in the northwest during the evening.
Weather
Isolated showers.
Visibility
Good or very good, locally moderate.

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.