Coast and sea
General situation
An area of low pressure situated in the North Sea will move northeastwards into Scandinavia allowing a brief ridge of high pressure to move across the British Isles during Tuesday. Another area of low pressure and associated fronts will then move in from the Atlantic throughout Wednesday.
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
- West or northwest 5 to 7, veering north 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then east or southeast 4 to 6, then veering southwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in Moray Firth, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in north.
- Weather
- Rain for a time, otherwise showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 near Rattray Head until later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough for a time near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, mainly fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeast 4 to 6, then veering southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Firth of Forth.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming mainly fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, backing southeast 4 to 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time, otherwise mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in south, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming mainly fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5, backing southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, then veering southwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, then rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in east, becoming smooth at times in Thames estuary.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming mainly fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5, backing southwesterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Thames estuary and the wash.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 7 or gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, then mainly fair, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5, backing southwesterly 4 to 6, then increasing 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 5 to 7, backing southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then mainly fair, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming rough at times.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, backing southwesterly 3 to 5, then increasing 6 or 7 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough at first in west, otherwise moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later except in far west.
- Weather
- Showers then occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate at first in east, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 5 to 7, backing southwest 3 to 5 later, then increasing 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 6 to gale 8, backing south or southwest 3 to 5 later, then occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 6 to gale 8, backing southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, backing southeast 5 to 7, then veering southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, becoming mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 6 or 7, decreasing 4 or 5, then backing south later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, becoming fair for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 4 or 5, backing southeast 6 or 7, then veering southwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain becoming fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in south, becoming variable 2 to 4 later, then southeasterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first in north, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7, then veering southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming 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 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in far south, becoming variable 2 to 4 later, then southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Firth of Clyde.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7, then veering southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Firth of Clyde.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later, then southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 3 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8, then veering southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, then occasionally very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate occasionally poor for a time.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later, then east or southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough near entrances.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7, then veering southwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later, then occasionally very rough later near southern entrance.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later, then east or southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7, then veering southwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in far southwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Tuesday 16 Sep 2025 at 0000 UTC until Tuesday 16 Sep 2025 at 1200 UTC
General situation
A deep low southwest coast of Norway continues moving away east as a trough lingers over Shetland waters until late Tuesday. A transient ridge pushes in from west Tuesday night.
Forecast
- Wind
- Northwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in far southwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Tuesday 16 Sep until 0000 UTC on Wednesday 17 Sep
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 5 to 6 with gusts to 35kt, decreasing 4 to 5 by midday, locally 3 south of jersey in the afternoon, backing southwest increasing 4 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough, decreasing slight to moderate with a swell tomorrow.
- Weather
- Isolated showers.
- Visibility
- Good except in showers.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 5 by midnight, increasing 6 northwest of jersey.
- Sea state
- Slight with a low swell, increasing moderate to rough on Wednesday.
- Weather
- Patchy rain or drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Good, locally moderate at times.
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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