Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
An area of high pressure will move eastwards across the United Kingdom during the next day or two. This will bring settled conditions to most areas, although some places will have a few showers.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 18:00 (UTC) on Sat 22 Aug 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Sun 23 Aug 2026
Inshore waters and strong winds map
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing westerly or southwesterly, 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less later in south.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in Moray Firth, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 2 to 4 at first in north and variable 3 or less at first in south, but becoming cyclonic mainly southeasterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate to the west and north of Orkney, but elsewhere smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, but becoming fair for a time.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable, becoming west or northwest for a time, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate at first in north and in far south, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, mainly in north.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming east or southeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, increasing 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight later except in far south.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming east or southeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first near Whitby, otherwise slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, increasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate in north, slight or moderate in south.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming east 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first in far north, otherwise slight.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 2 to 4 becoming variable 2 or less, then easterly or northeasterly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate near northeastern Norfolk, but elsewhere smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 2 at first in north, increasing 5 later in south.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later in south.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 or 4 at first in east, otherwise variable 3 or less, becoming easterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4 increasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate in west, and later also in far east.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming east or southeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5 backing east or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less at first in east, otherwise northeasterly 3 or 4, then veering easterly or southeasterly later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later except in far east.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 or 4 at first in east, otherwise easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable at first in east, otherwise northerly veering easterly or northeasterly, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in Severn Estuary.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming east 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 at times except in far south.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly, veering easterly or southeasterly for a time, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later in far north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first in north, becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming east or southeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 or 5 decreasing 3, then becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming smooth later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming east or southeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 2 to 4 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming east or southeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate in far north.
- Weather
- Showers at first in north.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 or 4 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 or 4 becoming variable mainly west 2 or 3.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later near Tiree.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming easterly or southeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later in south and west.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight to the east of Islay and Jura, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
The Minch (16)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest backing southwest, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate in far north, but elsewhere smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest backing southeast 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Moderate until later in far north, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly backing southwesterly, 3 or 4, occasionally 2 later in south.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight between Barra and Canna.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest backing southeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first between Barra and Canna, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shetland Isles (18)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest backing west, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Saturday 22 Aug 2026 at 1800 UTC until Sunday 23 Aug 2026 at 0600 UTC
General situation
A ridge of high pressure will cover Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Sunday 23 Aug until 1800 UTC on Sunday 23 Aug
- Wind
- West 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East to northeast 4 to 5, occasionally 3 mid-channel and near the French coast at first, increasing 5 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, locally smooth in the east, increasing moderate in the west later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East to northeast 5 to 6, perhaps locally 7 mid-channel from late morning, backing north 2 to 3 in the south of the area later.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, increasing rather rough to rough in the north overnight.
- Weather
- Isolated showers or thunderstorms developing after dawn, mainly in the south of the area.
- Visibility
- Good, perhaps locally moderate at times.
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.