Coast and sea
General situation
A deepening area of low pressure will run across Scotland later today and into the North Sea overnight, this will bring gales to most waters for a time, and severe gales in the north. Rain and sleet or wintry showers are expected across all areas.
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
- Variable 3 or 4 becoming southeast 4 to 6, then cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming mainly rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain and sleet.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 in Moray Firth, otherwise east or southeast 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough, then slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4, becoming south or southwest 4 to 6, then cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later near rattray.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, Bristol Channel rough or very rough later near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Rain or sleet.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough, then mainly moderate later.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, veering northwest 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or sleet.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5, occasionally 2 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Wintry showers, rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, veering west or northwest 5 to 7, backing west 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough near Whitby.
- Weather
- Showers, then fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly backing southwesterly, 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later, becoming cyclonic later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers, then rain or sleet later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering westerly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing westerly 3 to 5, then southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later, becoming cyclonic later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Fair, then rain or sleet for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, then cyclonic again later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 2 to 4, backing southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 later, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming mainly moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair, rain or sleet later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable mainly west, 2 to 4 for a time later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 2 to 4, backing southwest 5 to 7, then veering northwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Wintry showers, rain or sleet for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing southwest for a time, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in west, decreasing 2 to 4 later in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Fair, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 for a time, veering northwest 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in inner Bristol Channel, becoming rough later in west.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest becoming cyclonic for a time, 5 to 7, occasionally 4 in east, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 5 to 7, then veering northwest 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 near Anglesey later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain or wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 near Anglesey, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate, occasionally rough in west, becoming slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 3 to 5, backing southwest 5 to 7, veering northwest 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, backing southwest 5 to 7, veering northwest 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first, becoming moderate, then slight later.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming mostly fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, increasing 5 to 7, veering northwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in north.
- Weather
- Wintry showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- 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
- Southwesterly 4 or 5, increasing 5 to 7, veering northwesterly 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 for a time later in North Channel.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in North Channel.
- Weather
- Wintry showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in North Channel, becoming slight, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, veering northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain or wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 later, becoming variable 2 to 4 later then cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Wintry showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 becoming northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in south, becoming moderate or rough occasionally very rough in entrances.
- Weather
- Rain or sleet, then wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 in south, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in entrances, becoming slight or moderate, but smooth in central areas.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 becoming northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high for a time in west.
- Weather
- Rain or sleet, then wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 in south, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming east or southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north, increasing 6 to gale 8 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very later in south.
- Weather
- Snow showers, squally at first, then sleet or snow.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Tuesday 06 Jan 2026 at 0600 UTC until Tuesday 06 Jan 2026 at 1800 UTC
General situation
A low moves east over Scotland through Tuesday, slowly clearing east into the North Sea through Wednesday.
Forecast
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing, 7 or gale 8 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Snow showers, then rain or sleet later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor or very poor.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Tuesday 06 Jan until 0600 UTC on Wednesday 07 Jan
- Wind
- Southeasterly backing easterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in south.
- Weather
- Sleet or snow.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor or very poor.
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly or variable 2 to 3, perhaps locally 4, becoming westerly by midday, backing southwest to south 6 to 7 by midnight, veering northwest 5 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth locally slight, increasing moderate to rather rough overnight, briefly rough mid-channel.
- Weather
- Isolated showers at times rain in the northwest of the area late evening, perhaps locally heavy, transferring to the southeast later.
- Visibility
- Good or very good, becoming moderate locally poor overnight.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 6, backing southwesterly 4 to 5 after dusk, veering westerly 5 to 6 around midnight.
- Sea state
- Moderate to rather rough, perhaps rough in the far west at times.
- Weather
- Isolated showers at first, perhaps heavy with hail rain developing in the evening, becoming heavy for a time overnight.
- Visibility
- Good, locally moderate at first, becoming generally moderate in the evening, locally poor later.
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.
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