Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
A frontal system will move steadily eastwards across the British Isles, within a light to moderate westerly flow.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 12:00 (UTC) on Sat 16 May 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Sun 17 May 2026
Inshore waters and strong winds map
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers at first, then rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 3 to 5, then veering southwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then occasional rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeast later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate at first in north, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast veering southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then occasional rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, backing southeast later.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast veering southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then occasional rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest becoming variable, then southeast later, 2 to 4,.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 or 5, then variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Thames estuary.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then occasional rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5, veering northwesterly 3 or 4 for a time later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then occasional rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5, veering westerly 3 or 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough later near Isles of Scilly.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 3 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in far west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, veering west or northwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, backing southwest 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in far west.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, veering northwest 4 or 5, then backing southwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in north, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest veering west 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, then backing southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 2 to 4, veering west 4 or 5, then backing southwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth becoming slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 1 to 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first, becoming smooth later.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 3 or 4, veering west or southwest 4 or 5 , occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later in south.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, veering west 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate in far north.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate in far north.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate near the Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate near the Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough later in west.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 1 to 3.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
The Minch (16)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far north and far south.
- Weather
- Rain at times, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far north and far south.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 for a time in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain at times, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable, becoming south later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shetland Isles (18)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 or 3, then south 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight east of Shetland.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Saturday 16 May 2026 at 1200 UTC until Sunday 17 May 2026 at 0000 UTC
General situation
A complex and shallow area of low pressure will cover Shetland Waters over the weekend.
Forecast
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5 becoming cyclonic 2 to 4
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in northwest
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Sunday 17 May until 1200 UTC on Sunday 17 May
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 to 4
- Sea state
- Moderate
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 5 veering west to northwest by midnight, decreasing 3 to 4 later.
- 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, occasionally 3 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight with a low swell developing, locally moderate in the north and west.
- 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.