Coast and sea
General situation
A showery airflow covers much of the coastal waters. Winds will decrease through Saturday with strong winds becoming confined to far northern waters by evening, as an area of high pressure builds across much of the United Kingdom from the southwest. Some showery rain will persist in the northeast.
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
- Westerly, veering northwesterly later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in north.
- Sea state
- To the north and west of Orkney, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first, but elsewhere slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, veering northeasterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough to the west and north of Orkney, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, decreasing 2 to 4 later except in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in north and far south.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6 until later in north, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in north and later in far south.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West veering northwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate offshore.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 2 to 4, veering northwest, then north later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in north.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwesterly 4 or 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers later in north.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first in far east, otherwise southwesterly veering northerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in east and moderate at first in west.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West veering north, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate offshore.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming east or northeast 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest veering north, then east or southeast later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast, becoming variable for a time at first, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in east and moderate in west.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, veering north, then becoming variable later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later in Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming east or northeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later in Bristol Channel.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in south and smooth in north.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5 veering north or northwest 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in north and later in south.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest veering east or northeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in north, decreasing 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 or 5, decreasing 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest veering north, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in south and rough at first in far north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming northerly or northwesterly 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate in far north, otherwise smooth or slight.
- 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
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight except near Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable becoming northerly or northwesterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, decreasing 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate in east and later in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 2 to 4, veering north or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in sheltered east.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in north, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first near entrances and smooth later in central waters.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers mainly in north.
- Visibility
- Good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in north, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first west of the Outer Hebrides and slight later in far south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight between barra and canna and rough at first in north.
- Weather
- Showers mainly in north.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South veering west, then northwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far west and slight later in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Saturday 18 Apr 2026 at 1200 UTC until Sunday 19 Apr 2026 at 0000 UTC
General situation
Low pressure will be slow moving to the north of Shetland.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southerly veering westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in southwest
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far west later.
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Moderate or good
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Sunday 19 Apr until 1200 UTC on Sunday 19 Apr
- Wind
- West veering northwest 4 to 6
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in west
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Moderate or good
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 4, perhaps 5 near normandy coast late afternoon, veering northeast overnight, perhaps 5 near alderney late morning.
- Sea state
- Slight, locally smooth, with a low swell.
- Weather
- Fine.
- Visibility
- Good or very good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 5, locally 3 at times, veering east after midnight.
- Sea state
- Slight, locally smooth, with a low and diminishing swell.
- Weather
- Fine.
- Visibility
- Good or very 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.
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.