Coast and sea

Inshore waters and strong winds

General situation

Areas of low pressure to the west and southwest of Ireland will bring a mainly southerly or southeasterly flow with occasional rain or showers and strong winds, with gales or severe gales at times away from the far southeast.

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
Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Slight or moderate in Moray Firth, elsewhere mainly moderate or rough, but occasionally very rough later in east.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 in Moray Firth and severe gale 9 in east.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high in east.
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
Southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 later in far north.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in north.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high in far north.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate occasionally poor.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southeast 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Mainly fair, occasional rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate occasionally poor.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southeast 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate.
Weather
Mainly fair, occasional rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming rough later in far north.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming rough in west.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in west.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but rough at first in far west.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southeast 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 for a time.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southeast 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southeast 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, veering southwest 4 to 6 for a time.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, but very rough at first in far west.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southeast 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, but very rough in far west.
Weather
Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southeasterly 6 to gale 8 at first in east, otherwise southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in west, backing southeasterly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight in Bristol Channel, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far southwest.
Weather
Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in west.
Sea state
Slight in Bristol Channel, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far southwest.
Weather
Rain or 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
Southeast 7 to severe gale 9, veering south 5 to 7, then backing southeast 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate in northeast.
Weather
Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
East 6 to gale 8, veering southeast 4 to 6, then becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in southwest.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southeast 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later, then backing east 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in northwest.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
East 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in northwest.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Isle of Man (12)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southeast 7 or gale 8, veering south or southeast 5 or 6, backing east or southeast 6 or 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
East or southeast 6 or 7, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in north, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or 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
Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally gale 9 at first in North Channel and 5 in far north, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in far north but becoming rough for a time in North Channel.
Weather
Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later in North Channel.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in North Channel and smooth in far north.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in west and south, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Mainly moderate or rough, but slight in shelter and occasionally very rough in far west.
Weather
Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in west.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

The Minch (16)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state
Smooth or slight just north and east of skye, but elsewhere slight or moderate, occasionally rough near entrances.
Weather
Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7, then gale 8 later in far north.
Sea state
Smooth or slight just north and east of skye, but elsewhere slight or moderate, occasionally rough near entrances.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in south.
Weather
Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7, then gale 8 later in far north.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shetland Isles (18)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southeast 6 or 7, increasing 7 or gale 8 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

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

Strong wind warning

Valid Tuesday 20 Jan 2026 at 1200 UTC until Wednesday 21 Jan 2026 at 0000 UTC

General situation

Low complex to the west of the British Isles on Tuesday with a strengthening SE flow over Shetland Waters.

Forecast

Wind
South or southeast 5 to 7
Sea state
Rough or very rough
Weather
Rain or showers
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate or poor

Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Wednesday 21 Jan until 1200 UTC on Wednesday 21 Jan

Wind
Southeast 6 to gale 8
Sea state
Rough or very rough
Weather
Rain or showers
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate or poor

Channel Islands (19)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South to southeast 6 to 7, occasionally gale 8 with gusts to 55kt in the north of the area, veering south to southwest 4 to 6 in the evening, backing south to southeast after midnight, increasing 6 to gale 8 with gusts to 55kt towards dawn.
Sea state
Moderate in the south of the area, rather rough to rough in the north, generally decreasing slight to moderate with a low swell for a time overnight.
Weather
Rain, locally heavy, spreading east, turning to showers early evening, further rain after midnight, heavy at times.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate, locally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South to southeast 6 to 7, occasionally gale 8 with gusts to 50kt mid-channel at first, decreasing 4 to 6 in the evening, veering southwest to west later.
Sea state
Moderate in the south of the area, rather rough to rough in the north, generally decreasing slight to moderate, with a low swell, by midnight, increasing rather rough to rough later.
Weather
Rain and drizzle, locally heavy with a risk of mist patches, clearing to occasional showers in the evening.
Visibility
Moderate to good locally poor, becoming good occasionally moderate.

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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