Coast and sea
General situation
The United Kingdom is covered by a westerly or southwesterly airflow with occasional strong winds. A deepening low will move northeast across south and east England later on Thursday bringing gales to some waters.
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
- Southerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in east, veering southwesterly 4 to 6, then backing southerly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- In inner Moray Firth, smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers in north, occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly, backing southeasterly later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough to the north and west of Orkney, smooth or slight in Moray Firth, occasionally moderate near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Showers in northwest.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, veering southwesterly 4 to 6, then becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in far north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southerly or southeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in far south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South, veering southwest, 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest, becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming south, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Rain at first, showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8, then becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming southerly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly, backing southerly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8, then veering westerly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly, backing southerly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest, becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6, becoming south 6 to gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming southwest, 4 to 6, then backing south 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 for a time, but increasing 6 or 7 for a time in far east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough near the Isles of Scilly.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but very rough in far west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later near Lands End.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain at first in east.
- Visibility
- Good, but moderate or poor at first in east.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in the Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest, backing south later, 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in south, becoming smooth near great orme head.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 4 to 6, occasionally 7 near St Davids Head and Anglesey.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight east of Anglesey, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming south later.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 2 to 4, increasing 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate except in far southeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or less, then backing south later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 or less, increasing 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming south 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in far north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- 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
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming southerly 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first near the Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest, backing south, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in shelter.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South, backing southeast, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest, backing south, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South, backing southeast, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, then backing east 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in far south, otherwise smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest, backing south, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South, backing southeast, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, then backing east 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in far north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 6 or 7, veering southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in shelter.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor becoming good.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Thursday 15 Jan 2026 at 0000 UTC until Thursday 15 Jan 2026 at 1200 UTC
General situation
A complex low to the south of Iceland will push troughs east or northeast over Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in east, veering southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Thursday 15 Jan until 0000 UTC on Friday 16 Jan
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, backing south to southeast 6 to 7 by dawn, perhaps gale 8 mid channel, then veering westerly 3 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth to slight with a low swell, increasing slight to moderate by midnight, occasionally rather rough to rough mid-channel, decreasing smooth to slight later.
- Weather
- Isolated showers rain in the west by midnight, spreading east and becoming heavy later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate to poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 3 to 4, backing south to southwest 4 to 6 by midnight.
- Sea state
- Smooth to slight, increasing slight to moderate by dawn, locally smooth to the south with a low swell.
- Weather
- Rain, locally heavy, clearing to scattered showers overnight.
- Visibility
- Moderate to good, locally poor at times.
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.
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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