Coast and sea
General situation
The United Kingdom will lie in a mainly southerly or southeasterly airflow during the next 48 hours, with most parts having either rain or showers. There will also be some mist or fog patches at first. The wind will strengthen during Monday night and Tuesday, with gales developing in western areas.
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)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 at times in Moray Firth.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in Moray Firth, elsewhere mainly slight or moderate, but becoming moderate or rough later in north.
- Weather
- Rain at times, mainly in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in east and in Moray Firth.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 3 at first and 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in north, slight or moderate in south.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in west and poor in east.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast, veering southwest for a time, 3 to 5, then becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming southeast 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate in north, slight or moderate in south.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less, then southeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in north.
- Weather
- Rain at times, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain at times, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 3 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate in north.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 2 or 3 veering southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in north and poor in south.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 3 or 4 backing southeasterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain at times later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly 2 to 4 veering southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast veering south, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, mainly in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in west.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 3 to 5, backing southeasterly 5 or 6 later, increasing 7 at times later in west.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate, then occasionally rough later in west.
- Weather
- Occasional 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
- Variable 3 or less becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times later in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Lyme Bay but becoming rough later in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, but becoming fair for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, veering southwesterly 4 or 5 later in west.
- Sea state
- Slight at first in Lyme Bay, otherwise moderate or rough, but becoming rough or very rough in west.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming southeasterly 2 to 4, then cyclonic 4 or 5 later, occasionally 6 later in west.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in east, but in west, slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain at times, mainly in east, fog patches in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in east.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later in west, then veering southerly 4 to 6 later in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in east, mainly moderate or rough in west, but occasionally very rough later in far west.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 2 to 4 backing southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west, but becoming rough later near St David's Head.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6, veering southwest 3 to 5 for a time at first, then increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in east, moderate or rough in west, but occasionally very rough later near St David's Head.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in northwest, becoming variable 2 at times elsewhere.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate at times in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain at times, mainly in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in east.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, then increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate in north, then occasionally rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, but becoming fair for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first in east.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in west.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 or 4 increasing 4 to 6, then 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming slight or moderate, then occasionally rough later in south.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 3 at first in south and 6 later in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in far north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate until later except in far north, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, but becoming fair for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or 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
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 in far north.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in far north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, veering southerly 4 to 6 for a time, then increasing 5 to 7 later, occasionally gale 8 later in North Channel.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in far north, elsewhere mainly slight or moderate, but becoming rough later in North Channel.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough in west.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6, backing east or southeast 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west and slight in east.
- Weather
- Rain then mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight just east and north of Skye, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming southeast 4 to 6, then backing east later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east and north and rough later in west and south.
- Weather
- Rain at times, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, then becoming very rough later to the west of the Outer Hebrides.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming southeasterly 4 to 6, then backing easterly later and increasing 7 in far south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough to the west of the Outer Hebrides but moderate or rough further east.
- Weather
- Rain at times, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Sunday 18 Jan 2026 at 1800 UTC until Monday 19 Jan 2026 at 0600 UTC
General situation
High pressure over Scandinavia and low pressure to the west of the UK will maintain a south or southeast airflow over Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southeasterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 in east
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough
- Weather
- Rain or showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Monday 19 Jan until 1800 UTC on Monday 19 Jan
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in east
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough
- Weather
- Rain or showers, becoming fair later in west
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Eats to southeast 2 to 3 locally 4, veering south overnight, increasing 3 to 4 locally 5 by dusk.
- Sea state
- Smooth, locally slight, with a low swell.
- Weather
- Occasional light rain or drizzle, local mist or fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, locally poor or perhaps very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 3 to 4 locally 5, generally increasing 5 to 6 overnight, backing southeast 5 to 7 by midday Tuesday.
- Sea state
- Smooth to slight with a low swell, gradually increasing moderate to rough.
- Weather
- Rain, drizzle, mist and a risk of fog patches, all clearing eastwards by midnight.
- Visibility
- Moderate to poor in the east at first, perhaps locally very poor, otherwise 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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