Coast and Sea

Inshore waters and strong winds


General situation

A frontal system will move steadily eastwards across the British Isles, within a light to moderate westerly flow.

Issued at: .

For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 12:00 (UTC) on Sat 16 May 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Sun 17 May 2026

Inshore waters and strong winds map


Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Moray Firth.
Weather
Showers at first, then rain at times.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Moray Firth.
Weather
Rain at first, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 3 to 5, then veering southwest later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Fair at first, then occasional rain, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeast later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate at first in north, otherwise smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers, fair later.
Visibility
Good.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southeast veering southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming slight later.
Weather
Fair at first, then occasional rain, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, backing southeast later.
Sea state
Slight.
Weather
Showers, fair later.
Visibility
Good.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southeast veering southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Fair at first, then occasional rain, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest becoming variable, then southeast later, 2 to 4,.
Sea state
Slight.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 or 5, then variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Thames estuary.
Weather
Fair at first, then occasional rain, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwesterly 4 or 5, veering northwesterly 3 or 4 for a time later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Fair at first, then occasional rain, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwesterly 4 or 5, veering westerly 3 or 4 for a time.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain or drizzle, showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming rough later near Isles of Scilly.
Weather
Rain or drizzle at first, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in far west.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest 3 or 4, veering west or northwest 4 or 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or drizzle at first, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West 4 or 5, backing southwest 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in far west.
Weather
Showers, thundery at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest 3 or 4, veering northwest 4 or 5, then backing southwest later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight at first in north, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or drizzle at first, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest veering west 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, then backing southwest 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight later.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South 2 to 4, veering west 4 or 5, then backing southwest later.
Sea state
Smooth becoming slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather
Rain or drizzle at first, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 1 to 3 later.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally moderate at first, becoming smooth later.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Isle of Man (12)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South 3 or 4, veering west or southwest 4 or 5 , occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally moderate later in south.
Weather
Occasional rain or drizzle, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5, veering west 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate in far north.
Weather
Rain at first, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate in far north.
Weather
Thundery showers, fair later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate near the Mull of Kintyre.
Weather
Rain at first, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate near the Mull of Kintyre.
Weather
Thundery showers, fair later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming rough later in west.
Weather
Rain at first, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 1 to 3.
Sea state
Moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

The Minch (16)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far north and far south.
Weather
Rain at times, showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far north and far south.
Weather
Showers, fair later.
Visibility
Good.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 for a time in south.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Rain at times, showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable, becoming south later, 2 to 4.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers, fair later.
Visibility
Good.

Shetland Isles (18)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 or 3, then south 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight east of Shetland.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)

Valid Saturday 16 May 2026 at 1200 UTC until Sunday 17 May 2026 at 0000 UTC

General situation

A complex and shallow area of low pressure will cover Shetland Waters over the weekend.

Forecast

Wind
North or northwest 3 to 5 becoming cyclonic 2 to 4
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough at first in northwest
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate

Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Sunday 17 May until 1200 UTC on Sunday 17 May

Wind
Cyclonic 2 to 4
Sea state
Moderate
Weather
Showers
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate

Channel Islands (19)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest 4 to 5 veering west to northwest by midnight, decreasing 3 to 4 later.
Sea state
Smooth to slight, increasing slight to moderate.
Weather
Showers, merging into rain at times, perhaps locally heavy in the southeast this afternoon.
Visibility
Good or very good, locally moderate or perhaps poor at times.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly 4 to 5, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state
Slight with a low swell developing, locally moderate in the north and west.
Weather
Isolated showers at first patchy rain spreading in from the northwest overnight.
Visibility
Good or very good, locally moderate or perhaps poor 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.

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