Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
A westerly or southwesterly flow across the British Isles will give strong winds at times across all areas. Gales developing in the north, and also for a time in parts of the south. Fronts will edge southeastwards overnight to bring some rain to most areas followed by showers across northern waters.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 18:00 (UTC) on Thu 3 Sep 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Fri 4 Sep 2026
Inshore waters and strong winds map
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6 veering west 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough to the north and west of Orkney.
- Weather
- Squally showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough to the north and west of Orkney, elsewhere moderate or rough becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, veering west 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later near Rattray Head.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 near Rattray Head, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight, occasionally rough until later near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, veering west 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later in north.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7 decreasing 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, veering west 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7 decreasing 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5 increasing 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later, veering westerly 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in Thames estuary and the wash.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later in east, veering westerly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough for a time.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6, increasing 7 for a time, veering west 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough for a time.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time in east, veering westerly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough to the west of Lands End.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Good to poor, occasionally very poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 or 5 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Rough at first to the west of Lands End, otherwise slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time, then veering west 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first in Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor until later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering west 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough for a time in south.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 in north, backing southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering west 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 5 to 7 backing southwest 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, increasing 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 5 or 6 decreasing 4 or 5, backing south or southwest later.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough in far north.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in north, backing southwesterly 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough until later in far north, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, veering westerly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in north, occasionally rough later in southwest.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 5 to 7, backing southwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6 veering west 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough in exposed waters.
- Weather
- Squally showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 5 to 7 backing southwest 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough except just northeast of skye.
- Weather
- Squally showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 5 to 7 backing southwest 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7 veering westerly 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 for a time later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later in northwest.
- Weather
- Squally showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 5 to 7 backing southwest 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in southwest.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Thursday 03 Sep 2026 at 1800 UTC until Friday 04 Sep 2026 at 0600 UTC
General situation
Atlantic low south of Iceland will drift slowly northeast towards the Faeroes with a showery airflow affecting Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight in sheltered waters just east of shetland.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Friday 04 Sep until 1800 UTC on Friday 04 Sep
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, decreasing 2 to 4 later in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming rough, then very rough later in far southwest, but in sheltered waters east of shetland, slight becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate or poor.
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West to southwest 4 to 5, backing southwest 4 to 5, locally 6 mid-channel, overnight, veering west towards midday tomorrow then west to northwest 4 to 5 by evening.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, locally rather rough at times, especially later.
- Weather
- Patchy drizzle, mist and a risk of fog patches, mainly in the far north and the far west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate to poor, perhaps locally very poor at times.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West to northwest 4 to 5, decreasing 2 to 3 overnight, becoming variable 1 to 2 later then northeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, perhaps locally rather rough at first, decreasing smooth to slight overnight, with a low swell remaining.
- Weather
- Patchy drizzle, mist and a risk of fog patches, all clearing by late afternoon.
- Visibility
- Good, locally moderate to poor or very poor at first, becoming very good later.
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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