Coast and sea

Inshore waters and strong winds

General situation

The United Kingdom will lie in a southwesterly airflow during the next couple of days. Winds will strengthen to become gale force in northern and western areas, with severe gale or storm force winds developing near northern and western coasts of Scotland on Thursday night and Friday morning.

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 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first near Cape Wrath, becoming variable 3 or 4, then south or southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough at first to the west and north of Orkney and smooth or slight in Moray Firth, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6 increasing 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 near Cape Wrath.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, then becoming very rough or high later in north.
Weather
Rain then squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, decreasing 4 at times in south.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southwest 5 or 6 increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Fair then occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first, increasing gale 8 at times later in north.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 for a time.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Fair, then rain at times.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in north.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 backing southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Thames Estuary and The Wash.
Weather
Showers then fair, then rain for a time.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Thames Estuary and The Wash.
Weather
Occasional rain, becoming fair later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4 becoming westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 for a time in east.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first near North Foreland, then becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Fair then rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in east, decreasing 3 at times later in west.
Sea state
Slight or moderate in east, moderate throughout in west.
Weather
Rain at times, becoming fair later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less becoming southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Fair then occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, veering west 3 to 5 for a time.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain, then showers later.
Visibility
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 2 or 3 at first in Lyme Bay, otherwise southwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state
Smooth or slight at first in east, otherwise slight or moderate, but becoming rough later near the Isles of Scilly.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate in east, mainly moderate or rough in west, but becoming very rough later to the west of Land's End.
Weather
Occasional rain, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, veering west or southwest 4 or 5 for a time.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming rough later near Pembrokeshire.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east and very rough later in west.
Weather
Occasional rain, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southerly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first in north, veering southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southerly veering southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in north.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in Liverpool Bay and rough later in north.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first in Liverpool Bay, increasing gale 8 at times in north.
Sea state
Slight or moderate at first in south, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Isle of Man (12)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South 5 to 7 veering southwest 4 to 6, then occasionally 7 again later.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Rain or drizzle at times.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest 5 or 6 increasing 7 or gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in east.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South 5 to 7 veering southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough in far north.
Weather
Rain then squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

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 southwesterly 5 or 6, decreasing 4 for a time.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6 increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later near the Mull of Kintyre.
Weather
Occasional rain, then squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southwest 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first and 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, but slight in shelter.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly 5 to 7 veering southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 in north.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming very rough or high, then occasionally very high later in west.
Weather
Rain then squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, occasionally good at first.

The Minch (16)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, then becoming variable 3 or 4 for a time, then occasionally gale 8 again later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in west and south.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest 6 to gale 8 increasing gale 8 to storm 10.
Sea state
Slight at first just north and east of Skye, otherwise moderate or rough, but becoming very rough or high except just north and east of Skye.
Weather
Rain then squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, occasionally good at first.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, then becoming variable 3 or 4 for a time, then occasionally gale 8 again later.
Sea state
Mainly moderate or rough, but occasionally slight at first near Sutherland and very rough later in south.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest 6 to gale 8 increasing gale 8 to storm 10.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming high or very high except near Sutherland.
Weather
Rain then squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, occasionally good at first.

Shetland Isles (18)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southwest 6 to gale 8 veering northwest 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain, but becoming fair for a time.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

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

Strong wind warning

Valid Wednesday 26 Nov 2025 at 1200 UTC until Thursday 27 Nov 2025 at 0000 UTC

General situation

Frontal trough will move east across Shetland Waters on Wednesday afternoon. Further frontal trough will move east during Thursday.

Forecast

Wind
Southwesterly 6 or 7, but gale 8 at first in the north, veering northwesterly 3 to 5, then backing southwesterly 2 or 3 later in southwest
Sea state
Moderate or rough
Weather
Rain then fair
Visibility
Moderate or poor, becoming good

Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Thursday 27 Nov until 1200 UTC on Thursday 27 Nov

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4 backing easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, then veering southwesterly 5 or 6 later in south
Sea state
Moderate or rough
Weather
Rain or drizzle
Visibility
Good, becoming moderate or poor, occasionally good again later in south

Channel Islands (19)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 soon becoming southwest 3 to 4, increasing 4 to 5 soon after dusk, occasionally 6 mid-channel overnight, veering southwest to west by morning.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, with a low swell, becoming slight to moderate, locally rather rough in the north and west.
Weather
Rain or drizzle spreading from the west from mid-afternoon, risk of coastal fog in the morning.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate to very poor overnight.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest to south 5 to 6, locally 4 south of Jersey at first, veering southwest to west around midnight, decreasing 3 to 4, increasing 4 to 5, locally 6 in the north by midday.
Sea state
Moderate to rather rough, locally slight in the south.
Weather
Occasional rain or drizzle, risk of coastal fog patches.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate to very poor.

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.

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.

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