Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
A slack airflow covers much of the United Kingdom, with only light or moderate breezes affecting most english and welsh coastal areas. Further north an area of low pressure moving northeastwards between Scotland and Iceland will give fresh or strong winds but these generally easing through Friday, before increasing in parts of the west.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 18:00 (UTC) on Thu 7 May 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Fri 8 May 2026
Inshore waters and strong winds map
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly, veering westerly or northwesterly later, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in Moray Firth, elsewhere moderate, occasionally slight in south and rough in north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough to the west and north of Orkney, smooth or slight in Moray Firth, elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later in south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northeasterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in south and moderate later in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming north or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first in north and smooth later in south.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast becoming variable, 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later near Whitby.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less for a time, occasionally 5 later in far north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly backing easterly or northeasterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly, becoming variable for a time, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- 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 easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 3 in east and 6 in west.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 4 or 5 later in west.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first in east, otherwise easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in west.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate in west, occasionally rough later near St Davids Head.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly becoming variable, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first near western Anglesey, becoming northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 3 at first and 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later near St Davids Head.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then north or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest veering north or northeast, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less, then north 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North 4 or 5, veering northeast later.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then north or northeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate in far north, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in south, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly 4 or 5, veering westerly 2 to 4, then northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, veering northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in North Channel.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly, veering northeasterly for a time, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east and rough at first in far northwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest veering west or northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth to the east of skye.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest, veering northeast for a time, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In northeast, slight or moderate, occasionally rough later near northern entrance, but elsewhere smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest veering west or northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later between barra and canna.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest, veering northeast for a time, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate between barra and canna, but elsewhere moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first, veering west later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Thursday 07 May 2026 at 1800 UTC until Friday 08 May 2026 at 0600 UTC
General situation
Atlantic low will drift northeast towards Faeroes, pushing associated fronts across Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southeast veering south or southwest 5 to 7
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming moderate later just east of shetland
- Weather
- Rain at times
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Friday 08 May until 1800 UTC on Friday 08 May
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming moderate south and east of shetland
- Weather
- Rain or showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East to southeast 2 to 4, locally variable 1 to 2, backing east to northeast 4 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Isolated showers until midday tomorrow risk of mist or fog patches near french coast overnight.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor or very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East to northeast 4 to 5, decreasing 2 to 4 after midnight.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Isolated showers after midnight, perhaps locally with thunder.
- 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.
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.