Coast and sea
General situation
The United Kingdom will lie in a south to southwesterly airflow during Thursday, with strong winds and showers affecting most areas. Atlantic fronts will spread more widespread rain or drizzle across northern and western areas later in the day.
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
- Southeast 4 to 6 veering south or southwest 3 to 5, then backing southeast again later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first near eastern Orkney and eastern Caithness, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later in north and west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first except near Aberdeenshire.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough near eastern Orkney and eastern Caithness and smooth in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly veering southwesterly, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in north and 3 in south, then backing southerly again later.
- Sea state
- Moderate in north, slight or moderate in south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly, backing southeasterly for a time, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate in north, slight or moderate in south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 4 to 6 veering southwest 4 or 5, backing south 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 4 or 5, occasionally 3 at first, then increasing 6 for a time in far north, then veering southwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in north, then decreasing 3 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southerly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 3 in west, backing southerly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly veering southwesterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in east, slight or moderate in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, backing south 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first and then slight later in west.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest, veering west later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing south 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough until later near the Isles of Scilly, otherwise moderate or rough, but becoming slight or moderate later in Lyme Bay.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, veering west 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough from the Lizard peninsula westwards, otherwise moderate, occasionally slight in Lyme Bay.
- Weather
- Showers, then occasional rain 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
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, then becoming variable 2 to 4 in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in west and slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain for a time later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly veering westerly or southwesterly, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in west, decreasing 3 at times in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 6 or 7 decreasing 3 to 5, backing south 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first near St David's Head but becoming slight or moderate in north.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South veering southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in northeast.
- Weather
- Rain at times, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7 decreasing 3 or 4, backing southerly 3 to 5 later, then occasionally 6 again later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first in north, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast, veering southwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north and smooth at first in Liverpool Bay.
- Weather
- Rain at times, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first, then decreasing 4, backing south 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then occasional rain and drizzle later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first in west, then veering southwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest, backing south later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 5 or 6, veering southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first in south, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough at first near the Rhins of Galloway, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 5 or 6, veering southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first near the Mull of Galloway.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 3 to 5 veering southwest 4 to 6, then backing south or southeast later and decreasing 3 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6 veering southerly 5 to 7, then veering southwesterly later and increasing gale 8 at times in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east but becoming very rough later near western Tiree.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly 3 to 5 veering southwesterly 4 to 6, then backing southerly or southeasterly later and decreasing 3 at times in north.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight just east and north of Skye.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first in north, veering southerly 6 to gale 8, then southwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first just east and north of Skye, otherwise slight or moderate, but becoming moderate or rough in west and south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly 3 to 5 veering southwesterly 4 to 6, then backing southerly or southeasterly later and decreasing 3 at times in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough except near Sutherland.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first in north, veering southerly 6 to gale 8, then southwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate near Sutherland, elsewhere mainly moderate or rough, but becoming rough or very rough later in south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 5 to 7 veering south 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough at first in east and north, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain with fog patches, then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Thursday 16 Apr 2026 at 0000 UTC until Thursday 16 Apr 2026 at 1200 UTC
General situation
Large low complex to the west of the UK with a southeast flow over Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southeasterly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6, veering southwesterly later in southwest
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough in east, but moderate in lee shelter
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, and occasionally very poor at first
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Thursday 16 Apr until 0000 UTC on Friday 17 Apr
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, but southeasterly 6 or 7 at first in northeast
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in northeast
- Weather
- Rain or showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 5, decreasing 3 to 4 by morning, becoming variable 1 to 2 after midday, then becoming south to southwest 3 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, locally rather rough mid-channel at first, decreasing smooth or slight by midday, a low to moderate swell throughout.
- Weather
- Isolated showers.
- Visibility
- Good, locally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South to southwest 3 to 4, locally variable 1 to 2, veering west to northwest 2 to 3 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight with a low to moderate swell.
- Weather
- Risk of isolated showers.
- Visibility
- Good, perhaps locally moderate.
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.