Coast and Sea

Inshore waters and strong winds


General situation

Light or moderate winds will cover southern areas of the United Kingdom during Friday. Further north, low pressure moving northeast from the Faeroe Islands, will give some strong winds. These generally decreasing through Friday, before increasing again across Irish Sea waters.

Issued at: .

For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 06:00 (UTC) on Fri 8 May 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Sat 9 May 2026

Inshore waters 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, veering northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Rough in north, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming smooth in the Moray Firth.
Weather
Showers, wintry later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Rough at first in north, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in the Moray Firth.
Weather
Showers, wintry at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest 3 to 5, veering north or northeast 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally rough at first in north.
Weather
Showers for a time.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
North or northeast, backing northwest later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Rattray Head.
Weather
Showers then fair, rain at first in far south.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first in far south.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South, becoming variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally smooth later.
Weather
Fair then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 4 or 5, increasing 6 for a time.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming moderate in south.
Weather
Rain or showers, fair later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South, backing southeast, 2 to 4, then becoming variable later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Fair then showers.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain or showers, fair later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southeasterly, backing easterly, 2 to 4.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Easterly, backing northeasterly, 2 to 4, then increasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather
Occasional rain or showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southeasterly, backing easterly, 2 to 4.
Sea state
Smooth occasionally slight.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Easterly, backing northeasterly, 2 to 4, then increasing 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain or showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southeast 2 to 4, backing east 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
East 3 to 5, backing northeast, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later.
Weather
Occasional rain or showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

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

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather
Showers for a time.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
East, backing northeast, 4 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming rough later near the Isles of Scilly.
Weather
Rain or showers for a time.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later in far west.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later near St Davids Head.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 in west.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, but moderate or rough in west.
Weather
Rain or showers for a time.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later in west.
Weather
Showers for a time.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northeast 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time near St Davids Head.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in Cardigan Bay, becoming rough near St Davids Head.
Weather
Showers for a time.
Visibility
Good.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Smooth occasionally slight.
Weather
Fair then showers.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
North, veering northeast, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far southwest.
Weather
Occasional rain or showers then fair.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate.

Isle of Man (12)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less, becoming north 4 or 5.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
North 4 or 5, veering northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight occasionally moderate.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later in south.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but smooth for a time in south.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northerly or northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

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 2 to 4, becoming northerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later in the North Channel.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in the North Channel.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northerly or northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in the North Channel.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in the North Channel.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first near Tiree, veering north 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in far west.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
North 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing northwest 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

The Minch (16)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or southwest, veering northwest, 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far northeast, but becoming smooth later in central waters.
Weather
Showers, wintry later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northwest 2 to 4.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, but northeast of skye moderate, occasionally rough at first in far northeast.
Weather
Showers, wintry at first.
Visibility
Goo, occasionally moderate at first.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or southwest, veering northwest, 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, but slight between Barra and Canna.
Weather
Showers, wintry later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northwest 2 to 4.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough at first, but slight between Barra and Canna.
Weather
Showers, wintry at first.
Visibility
Goo, occasionally moderate at first.

Shetland Isles (18)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southwest, veering west later, 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate in sheltered east, otherwise rough, occasionally very rough later in northwest.
Weather
Showers, occasional rain at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

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

Valid Friday 08 May 2026 at 0600 UTC until Friday 08 May 2026 at 1800 UTC

General situation

Atlantic low near the Faeroes will drift northeast with an associated cold front soon clearing Shetland Waters.

Forecast

Wind
South veering west or southwest 5 to 7
Sea state
Rough, becoming moderate southeast of shetland
Weather
Rain at first then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Friday 08 May until 0600 UTC on Saturday 09 May

Wind
West or southwest 5 to 7 becoming west or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough, becoming very rough in northwest, but moderate southeast of shetland, and becoming slight just east of shetland.
Weather
Showers
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Channel Islands (19)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southeast 2 to 3, locally variable 1 or 2, becoming east to northeast 3 to 4 during the afternoon, increasing 4 to 5 by evening.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Risk of showers in the east of the area at first showers, perhaps thundery, in the south of the area after midnight.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
East 4 to 5, occasionally 3 at first, backing northeast by midday, increasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, increasing slight to moderate in the evening, further increasing rather rough in the north and west later.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery, dying out after midnight.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor.

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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