Coast and sea
General situation
A moderate to strong south to southwesterly flow will continue to affect the United Kingdom today, ahead of a deep area of low pressure which will move northwards to the west of the United Kingdom, bringing a spell of very wet and very windy weather on Monday night and Tuesday.
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
- South or southwest 3 to 5, backing east or southeast 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, then veering southwesterly gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 later in far west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough in south and very rough or high in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4, then backing southeast 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first in north, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 5 to 7, veering southerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9 , occasionally storm 10 until later in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, then rough or very rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain at first, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, backing south 3 to 5, then southeast 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 5 or 6, veering south or southwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, backing south 4 or 5, then southeast 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 5 to 7, veering south or southwest 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 until later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in Thames estuary and the wash, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 5 to 7, veering southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in east.
- Weather
- Rain, then mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly 5 or 6, increasing 6 or 7 later, occasionally gale 8 later in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in east, moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in west, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight later in east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest backing south 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers, then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 6 to gale 8, veering west or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain, then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in west, veering southwest later.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first in east, otherwise rough or very rough, becoming high later in west.
- Weather
- Squally showers, then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 7 or gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, veering west or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- High at first in west and moderate later in east, otherwise rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in west, veering southwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, but in west, rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Squally showers, then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, veering westerly later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, but in west, very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, veering southerly 7 to severe gale 9 later, perhaps storm 10 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 at first in northwest, veering southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in south, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly or southeasterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later, perhaps storm 10 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 at first in northwest, veering southwesterly, then decreasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good occasionally poor.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6, backing southeast 4 or 5, increasing south 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain soon becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 6 or 7.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first, then moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later, perhaps storm 10 later in far south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in south.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly veering southwesterly, gale 8 to storm 10, perhaps violent storm 11 at first in far northwest, decreasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- 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
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly 3 to 5, then southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in far north.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, veering southwesterly gale 8 to storm 10, then decreasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough for a time.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good occasionally poor.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, backing southeast 3 to 5, then east or southeast 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough in west.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 6 to gale 8, veering west or southwest severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, then decreasing 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming very rough or high, occasionally very high in far west.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly, then easterly later, 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight just north and east of skye, occasionally rough near entrances.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly 6 to gale 8, veering southwesterly severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, then westerly 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming rough or very rough, then very rough or high for a time.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly, then easterly later, 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough in south.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly 6 to gale 8, veering southwesterly severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, then westerly 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high, occasionally very high in south.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast veering southwest for a time, 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight later in sheltered east.
- Weather
- Rain then mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Monday 08 Dec 2025 at 1200 UTC until Tuesday 09 Dec 2025 at 0000 UTC
General situation
A weak ridge of high pressure topples across Shetland waters this afternoon. A rapidly deepening Atlantic low moves NE to the west of Ireland on Tuesday morning.
Forecast
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 or 4 becoming variable 3 or less, then southwest 3 or 4 later
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough in west
- Weather
- Rain dying out
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Tuesday 09 Dec until 1200 UTC on Tuesday 09 Dec
- Wind
- Southwest backing southeast 3 or 4, then increasing 5 or 6
- Sea state
- Rough in north and west, moderate in east, but slight in well sheltered eastern waters
- Weather
- Mainly fair
- Visibility
- Mainly good
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 6, backing south by evening, increasing 6 to 7 by midnight and perhaps occasionally gale 8 mid-channel later.
- Sea state
- Rather rough or rough, locally very rough mid channel.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle, occasionally heavy with mist and a risk of coastal fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate to poor or very poor in fog.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 6 to 7, perhaps occasionally gale 8 mid-channel at first, veering southwest 4 to 5 around dusk.
- Sea state
- Rather rough to rough, occasionally very rough mid-channel at first, decreasing moderate to rather rough with a swell.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, perhaps locally heavy, clearing Tuesday afternoon to fair intervals and isolated showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate to poor, becoming mainly 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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