Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
Light or moderate winds will cover southern areas of the United Kingdom during Friday. Further north, low pressure moving northeast from the Faeroe Islands, will give some strong winds. These generally decreasing through Friday, before increasing again across Irish Sea waters.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 06:00 (UTC) on Fri 8 May 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Sat 9 May 2026
Inshore waters and strong winds map
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, veering northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough in north, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming smooth in the Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in north, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in the Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, veering north or northeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally rough at first in north.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northeast, backing northwest later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Showers then fair, rain at first in far south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first in far south.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South, becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 4 or 5, increasing 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate in south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South, backing southeast, 2 to 4, then becoming variable later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeasterly, backing easterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly, backing northeasterly, 2 to 4, then increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeasterly, backing easterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly, backing northeasterly, 2 to 4, then increasing 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 2 to 4, backing east 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East 3 to 5, backing northeast, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East, backing northeast, 4 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough later near the Isles of Scilly.
- Weather
- Rain or showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later in far west.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later near St Davids Head.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 in west.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later in west.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time near St Davids Head.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in Cardigan Bay, becoming rough near St Davids Head.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North, veering northeast, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far southwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers then fair.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming north 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth at first.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North 4 or 5, veering northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth for a time in south.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
- 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
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later in the North Channel.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in the North Channel.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in the North Channel.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in the North Channel.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first near Tiree, veering north 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in far west.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing northwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest, veering northwest, 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far northeast, but becoming smooth later in central waters.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but northeast of skye moderate, occasionally rough at first in far northeast.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry at first.
- Visibility
- Goo, occasionally moderate at first.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest, veering northwest, 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight between Barra and Canna.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first, but slight between Barra and Canna.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry at first.
- Visibility
- Goo, occasionally moderate at first.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest, veering west later, 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in sheltered east, otherwise rough, occasionally very rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Friday 08 May 2026 at 0600 UTC until Friday 08 May 2026 at 1800 UTC
General situation
Atlantic low near the Faeroes will drift northeast with an associated cold front soon clearing Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- South veering west or southwest 5 to 7
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming moderate southeast of shetland
- Weather
- Rain at first then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Friday 08 May until 0600 UTC on Saturday 09 May
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7 becoming west or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming very rough in northwest, but moderate southeast of shetland, and becoming slight just east of shetland.
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 2 to 3, locally variable 1 or 2, becoming east to northeast 3 to 4 during the afternoon, increasing 4 to 5 by evening.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Risk of showers in the east of the area at first showers, perhaps thundery, in the south of the area after midnight.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East 4 to 5, occasionally 3 at first, backing northeast by midday, increasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, increasing slight to moderate in the evening, further increasing rather rough in the north and west later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery, dying out after midnight.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally 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.
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