Coast and sea
General situation
A deepening area of low pressure will move northeastwards across eastern England during Thursday evening and then across the North Sea during Thursday night. This is currently bringing a spell of rain across southern and eastern England, as well as gale force winds in places.
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)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 becoming variable 3 or less, then south or southeast 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough to the west and north of Orkney and smooth or slight in Moray Firth, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first in north.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 at times in northwest and in Moray Firth.
- Sea state
- Rough at first near northwestern Orkney, otherwise mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less, then south or southeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in north, smooth or slight in south.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 to 5, backing east or southeast 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in Firth of Forth.
- Weather
- Showers, mainly later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south, backing southerly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Rain at first in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first in south.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South backing southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 or 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 to 4 becoming west 5 to 7 then backing southwest 4 or 5, backing southeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Rain then mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first and 2 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in north but becoming smooth later in south.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 at first in north, otherwise southeasterly veering southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing southeasterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in east but becoming smooth or slight in Thames Estuary and The Wash.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 at times.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly 6 to gale 8 veering southwesterly 3 to 5, then backing southeasterly later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first and 2 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
- Weather
- Showers then fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly 6 at first in far east, otherwise westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 backing southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in east, otherwise moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first in east, otherwise showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor at first in east, otherwise good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing southeast 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 2 to 4 backing south or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate in east, rough or very rough in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6 backing south or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first to the west of Land's End, otherwise moderate or rough, but becoming slight in Lyme Bay.
- 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
- Variable 3 or less becoming southwest 4 to 6, then backing south or southeast later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later near Land's End.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 6 until later in west, otherwise southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first near Land's End, otherwise moderate or rough in west and slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- 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
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming south 4 to 6, then backing southeast later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in west but smooth to the east of Anglesey.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first and 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough until later in west, otherwise mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight to the east of Anglesey.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally variable 2 at first, increasing 6 at times later in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later in north.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first in east.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6, backing east or northeast 2 to 4 in Morecambe Bay and Solway Firth.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in south, slight or moderate in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 2 to 4 veering south or southwest 3 to 5, backing south or southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 3 to 5, backing southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight until later in east, otherwise mainly moderate, but occasionally rough in far north.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, then becoming variable 3 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight later.
- 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
- Southerly 3 or 4 backing southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 except in far north.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in far north.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6 backing easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in far north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South backing southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate to the east of Islay and Jura, otherwise mainly moderate or rough, but very rough at first near western Tiree.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first and 3 later.
- Sea state
- Rough until later in west, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, backing south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight to the east and north of Skye.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in south and 2 in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate at first in west and south, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers then mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, backing south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough until later to the west of the Outer Hebrides, otherwise moderate or rough, but becoming slight or moderate near Sutherland.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in south and 2 in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate near Sutherland, but elsewhere moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers then mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shetland Isles (18)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Thursday 15 Jan 2026 at 1800 UTC until Friday 16 Jan 2026 at 0600 UTC
General situation
A complex area of low pressure remains slow moving to the west of the UK. A mainly south or southwesterly flow will cover Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in northeast
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough in northwest, but moderate east of Shetland
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Friday 16 Jan until 1800 UTC on Friday 16 Jan
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in northwest
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly 6 in far southeast of the area at first, otherwise west to northwest 3 to 4, backing southwest 4 to 5 by midnight, further backing southerly by midday Friday, perhaps locally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rather rough or rough, locally moderate in the south and east of the area.
- Weather
- Rain, locally heavy, clearing during Thursday evening to isolated showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate to good, locally poor till midnight.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 4 to 5, locally 6 mid-channel at first, backing south to southeast 3 to 4 Saturday morning.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, locally rather rough in the north at first, decreasing smooth or slight with a low swell.
- Weather
- Isolated showers some mist or coastal fog Saturday morning.
- Visibility
- Good, locally poor or very poor Saturday morning.
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.
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