Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
A weak ridge of high pressure in the south, will soon give way to a generally strong, cool and showery northwesterly flow for the next couple of days.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 06:00 (UTC) on Tue 12 May 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Wed 13 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 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in north, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in far northwest, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming smooth later in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth at first in Moray Firth, and moderate or rough in far northwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, veering northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest veering northeast, then backing northwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, veering north or northwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing southwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, veering northwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly, then backing southwesterly later, 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in east.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 5 to 7, veering northwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth becoming slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 5 to 7, veering northwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 2 to 4, veering northwest 4 or 5, then backing west 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate, becoming rough later in far west.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West veering northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but rough in far west.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 2 to 4, veering northwest 4 or 5, then backing west 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate, then rough later in west.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West veering northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 3 to 5, veering northwest 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in west.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 to 7, veering northerly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in north.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest backing west 4 to 6, then veering northwest 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough in far north.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but rough in far north.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough later near Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough near Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in west, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far north.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in southwest.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 5 or 6, veering west 3 to 5, then becoming variable 1 to 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Tuesday 12 May 2026 at 0600 UTC until Tuesday 12 May 2026 at 1800 UTC
General situation
A front pushing east across Shetland waters early Tuesday followed by a broad area of low pressure sinking south.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7 at first in east, otherwise westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough but slight in well-sheltered eastern waters
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Tuesday 12 May until 0600 UTC on Wednesday 13 May
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 or 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming north 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough but slight in well-sheltered eastern waters
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 4, occasionally variable 1 to 2 at first, mainly in the east of the area, increasing 4 to 5 from mid-afternoon, further increasing 5 to 6 by dawn on Wednesday.
- Sea state
- Smooth to slight, increasing slight to moderate later, locally rather rough in the west.
- Weather
- A risk of mist patches near the french coast at first.
- Visibility
- Good, perhaps locally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West to northwest 5 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate to rather rough, increasing rather rough to rough by midday.
- Weather
- Scattered showers, perhaps locally heavy.
- 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.
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