Coast and Sea

Inshore waters and strong winds


General situation

Low pressure in the southeastern North Sea will maintain a strong northerly flow to southeastern waters at first, otherwise winds will be mainly light or moderate, with rain later today in the far north. A strengthening and showery westerly or northwesterly flow will then develop, with strong winds in the north by Tuesday morning, then for western and southern waters later on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Issued at: .

For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 18:00 (UTC) on Mon 11 May 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Tue 12 May 2026

Inshore waters and strong winds map


Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northwesterly 3 to 5, backing southwesterly 4 to 6, veering westerly or northwesterly later, occasionally 7 later in north.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Moray Firth, becoming moderate or rough later in northwest.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate, but poor in north.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then northerly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Moray Firth and moderate or rough in northwest.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest then cyclonic, 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Mainly fair then rain, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight for a time.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
North backing southwest 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Fair then rain, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, veering north later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 to 5 for a time.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain and showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 4 to 6 for a time.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northerly backing westerly or southwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough at first in northeast, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate, but poor later.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight in west, slight or moderate in east.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate, but poor later.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming west 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers later.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor later.

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

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight, but smooth in lyme bay and occasionally moderate in far west.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but smooth at first in lyme bay, occasionally rough later in far west.
Weather
Showers later.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor later.

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

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 or 3 at first in east, otherwise westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight, but smooth until later in the Bristol Channel and occasionally moderate in far southwest.
Weather
Showers, mainly fair later.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times later.
Sea state
Slight becoming moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Mainly fair, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 later, occasionally 6 later in north.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight for a time.
Weather
Fair, rain and showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far southwest.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Fair, then rain for a time, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Isle of Man (12)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northwest 3 or 4 backing west 4 or 5, veering northwest 5 or 6 later.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather
Fair, occasional rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Northwest 4 or 5 occasionally 6 at first, backing west 5 or 6, veering northwest later.
Sea state
Slight becoming moderate occasionally rough.
Weather
Fair, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate but smooth or slight at first in south, becoming moderate or rough later in north.
Weather
Mainly fair then rain, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state
Slight or moderate at first in south, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in north.
Weather
Squally showers.
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
Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later south of the isle of arran.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later in the North Channel.
Weather
Mainly fair then rain, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in the North Channel.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but smooth at first to the north of the isle of arran, becoming moderate or rough later in the North Channel.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or southwest 3 or 4, veering west or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in sheltered east, becoming moderate or rough in west.
Weather
Rain then showers, squally later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West or northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

The Minch (16)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest veering west or northwest for a time, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight at first in central areas, occasionally rough later near entrances.
Weather
Rain then showers, squally later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West or southwest, veering north or northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Slight or moderate in central areas, rough near entrances, occasionally very rough later near southern entrance.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest veering west or northwest for a time, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming rough.
Weather
Rain then showers, squally later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West or southwest, veering north or northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shetland Isles (18)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West 3 or 4, backing south 4 to 6, veering west later.
Sea state
Moderate, but slight at times in sheltered east, occasionally rough later in west.
Weather
Fair then rain, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate, but poor later.

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

Valid Monday 11 May 2026 at 1800 UTC until Tuesday 12 May 2026 at 0600 UTC

General situation

A ridge topples across Shetland waters this afternoon with a front pushing east early Tuesday.

Forecast

Wind
Northwesterly 3 or 4 at first in east, otherwise southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 increasing 5 to 7, veering westerly 4 or 5 later in west
Sea state
Moderate, but slight in well sheltered eastern waters, becoming rough later in west
Weather
Mainly fair then rain
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later

Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Tuesday 12 May until 1800 UTC on Tuesday 12 May

Wind
Southerly 5 to 7 at first in east, otherwise westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5
Sea state
Moderate or rough but slight in well sheltered eastern waters
Weather
Rain then showers
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first

Channel Islands (19)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northwest 3 to 4, becoming variable 1 to 2 for a time overnight, increasing 4 to 5 later.
Sea state
Smooth to slight.
Weather
Isolated showers, clearing by midnight a risk of mist patches near the french coast on Tuesday morning.
Visibility
Good, locally moderate at first perhaps locally poor Tuesday morning.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West to northwest 4 to 5, increasing 5 to 6 by dawn on Wednesday.
Sea state
Slight, increasing rather rough to rough around midday.
Weather
Scattered showers from dawn.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

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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