Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
Strong winds in the far north at first will ease with light or moderate winds across much of the United Kingdom. However northeasterly winds will then gradually strengthen during the weekend across many central and southern coastlines, especially on Sunday in the south.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 18:00 (UTC) on Fri 8 May 2026 to 18:00 (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
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in Moray Firth.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough to the north and west of Orkney, smooth or slight in Moray Firth, slight or moderate elsewhere.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first in Moray Firth, otherwise westerly or northwesterly, veering northerly later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first to the north and west of Orkney and smooth or slight in Moray Firth, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later in far north and far south.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northeast backing northwest, then west or southwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far north and far south.
- Weather
- Fair then showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast backing north or northwest, then southwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less, then northeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later in north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 to 6, decreasing 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later in south.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming moderate, occasionally rough later near North Foreland.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in southeast.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in south.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7, perhaps gale 8 later in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in west and 3 at first elsewhere.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth at first, becoming moderate at times in west.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 or 6, occasionally 3 at first, then increasing 7 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough at times in far west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, fair later.
- 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 east or northeast 3 to 5, backing north 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate in west, occasionally rough later near St Davids Head.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 near Lands End and St Davids Head.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight until later in east, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later near St Davids Head.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 near St Davids Head.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Cardigan Bay and rough at first near St Davids Head.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest veering north or northeast, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing northwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in south.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in west.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly, backing northwesterly later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing northwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly 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
- Northwesterly 3 to 5, veering northerly 4 to 6, then becoming variable 2 to 4 later east of arran and near Mull of Galloway.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in North Channel and smooth elsewhere.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming northwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in the North Channel.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwesterly veering northerly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in far northwest.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in south, backing westerly later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
The Minch (16)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough near northern entrance, becoming smooth or slight except in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest, backing west for a time, 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate in northeast, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate between barra and canna, moderate or rough elsewhere.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest, backing west for a time, 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in south and rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering west or northwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in sheltered east, otherwise rough, occasionally very rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Friday 08 May 2026 at 1800 UTC until Saturday 09 May 2026 at 0600 UTC
General situation
Atlantic low near the Faeroes will drift northeast with a showery airstream feeding into Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southwest veering west or northwest, 5 to 7
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming very rough in north, but moderate southeast of shetland
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Saturday 09 May until 1800 UTC on Saturday 09 May
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7 decreasing 4 or 5
- Sea state
- Rough, very rough in north at first, but moderate southeast of shetland, and slight in lee shelter just east of shetland
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East to northeast 4 to 5, occasionally 3.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery, in the south of the area after midnight, spreading north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 5, increasing 6 to 7 after midnight.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, increasing slight to moderate in the evening, further increasing rather rough to rough in the north and west later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- 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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