Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
Rain or showers at times, with strong winds today across northern Scotland and for a time in the southwest, then a strong southeasterly flow will develop for eastern areas on Tuesday. Low pressure will then approach southern and southwestern areas on Tuesday night into Wednesday, bringing strong winds to western and southern areas, and gales to the southwest.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 12:00 (UTC) on Mon 19 Oct 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Tue 20 Oct 2026
Inshore waters and strong winds map
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 or 3 at first in Moray Firth, otherwise south backing southeast, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later except in Moray Firth.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but rough in northwest and later in east, occasionally smooth in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 5 to 7, but 3 to 5 at first in Moray Firth, becoming cyclonic later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first in south, otherwise southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate, then rough later in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times in far north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East 4 or 5, veering southeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, mainly fair later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6, veering southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in far south.
- Weather
- Showers, mainly fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 5 or 6, veering south or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in the Thames estuary, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, veering southwesterly 4 or 5, becoming cyclonic later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight until later in Thames estuary, otherwise moderate, occasionally rough at first in northeast, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southwesterly 4 to 6, then cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth, becoming rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly, backing northeasterly, 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in far west.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southerly, 4 to 6, then cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate, then rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6 at first in east, otherwise variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 later in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in lyme bay.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first in west, rain later in east.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 3 to 5 at first in east, otherwise variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly 4 to 6, then cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight at first in lyme bay, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery later.
- 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
- Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in the Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, rain later, mainly east.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in the Bristol Channel, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery later.
- 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
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first near St Davids Head, becoming variable 2 or 3 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate until later near St Davids Head.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 or 3, becoming southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate except in far north, then rough later in south.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly, but easterly or northeasterly at first in north, 3 to 5,.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or 4, then northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 or 5, veering southeast, then south or southeast later.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Fair, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly veering southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in far northwest.
- Sea state
- Slight, but slight or moderate in north.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly veering southerly 3 to 5, then northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly, veering southeasterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then westerly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first near Mull of Kintyre, becoming moderate later in the North Channel.
- Weather
- Rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 for a time in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in northwest, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, then westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in west, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly backing southeasterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later in northeast.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in central areas, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate later in central areas, otherwise moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly backing southeasterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough at first in northwest, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 4 to 6, veering southeast 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but rough or very rough at first in west and occasionally slight at first in sheltered east.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, occasional rain or drizzle later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Monday 19 Oct 2026 at 1200 UTC until Tuesday 20 Oct 2026 at 0000 UTC
General situation
High pressure building over Scandinavia will extend a ridge west over Shetland waters later Monday into Tuesday.
Forecast
- Wind
- South or southeast 5 or 6
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, moderate in lee shelter of shetland
- Weather
- Mainly fair
- Visibility
- Good
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Tuesday 20 Oct until 1200 UTC on Tuesday 20 Oct
- Wind
- South or southeast 5 or 6, increasing 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough
- Weather
- Rain and drizzle at times
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 5, backing east 2 to 3 by dusk, backing northwest 3 to 4 by dawn.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight with a low swell, locally moderate mid-channel at first.
- Weather
- Isolated showers this afternoon patchy rain from midnight.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 4, backing southwest by dusk, backing south 5 to 6 by midnight, veering west to northwest 6 to 7 by dawn.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight with a low swell, increasing slight to moderate by midnight, then rough to very rough by dawn.
- Weather
- Patchy rain at first, mainly in the east then rain, locally heavy, by midnight, clearing to heavy showers by dawn, with a risk of thunder.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
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.