Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
An Atlantic low will move east towards the British Isles, bringing strengthening winds and rain or showers.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 12:00 (UTC) on Mon 18 May 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Tue 19 May 2026
Inshore waters and strong winds map
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in south, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in east.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 later in east.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth at first in south, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, but 5 or 6 at first in east, occasionally 7 at first in northeast, veering southerly or southwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 5 or 6, veering south then southwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6, veering southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southerly or southeasterly 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery in north, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first in northeast, veering southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5, backing southerly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly veering southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5, backing southerly, veering southwesterly later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, but poor at first.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, backing south 4 to 6, veering southwest 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east, occasionally rough later in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later near Isles of Scilly.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, but poor at first.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 in west, veering southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in east, moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate at first in east, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, but poor at first.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 2 to 4, backing south, veering southwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast, veering south later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest, backing southeast, then veering south later, 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6, occasionally 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain for a time, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest, 5 or 6, decreasing 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in the south at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight at first in south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, veering southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times in the North Channel.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later in the North Channel.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in the North Channel, veering southwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate in the North Channel.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 for a time later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6, veering south 3 or 4, then southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in south.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in central areas, slight or moderate near entrances.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, veering south 3 or 4, then southwesterly 5 or 6 later in far south.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in central areas, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally rough later near southern entrance.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far south.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, veering south 3 or 4, then southwesterly 5 or 6 later in far south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 3 or 4, increasing 4 or 5, then 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight at first in east.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Monday 18 May 2026 at 1200 UTC until Tuesday 19 May 2026 at 0000 UTC
General situation
Low pressure west of the UK maintains a southeasterly flow over Shetland Waters
Forecast
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in southwest later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, but slight just east of shetland.
- Weather
- Mainly fair
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Tuesday 19 May until 1200 UTC on Tuesday 19 May
- Wind
- Southeasterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 in northeast at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate, but rough in far west later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair
- Visibility
- Good
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South to southwest 3 to 4, locally variable 1 to 2 in the south of the area at first, backing south 4 to 5 this evening, increasing 5 to 6 with gusts locally to 35kt overnight, veering southwest 4 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth to slight with a low swell, increasing slight to moderate overnight, further increasing rather rough in the northwest later.
- Weather
- Isolated showers rain spreading eastwards by dusk, locally heavy overnight, clearing to isolated showers around dawn, perhaps locally heavy later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, locally poor at times.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 5, occasionally 6, mainly from evening.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate but rather rough in the northwest, increasing rough for a time mid-channel overnight, decreasing slight to moderate with a low to moderate swell later.
- Weather
- Isolated showers, perhaps locally heavy at first, dying out in the evening occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor at first.
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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