Coast and Sea

Inshore waters and strong winds


General situation

Low pressure to the north and northwest of the United Kingdom will bring a southerly or southwesterly flow through the period. Northern and western waters in particular will see spells of rain or showers, with a risk of fog patches. Settled weather is expected in the southeast as high pressure builds, which will begin to become more extensive across the south by Friday.

Issued at: .

For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 12:00 (UTC) on Wed 20 May 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Thu 21 May 2026

Inshore waters and strong winds map


Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4 at first in east, otherwise southwesterly backing southerly later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in northwest.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later in south.
Weather
Rain or showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first near Cape Wrath.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in north.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southwest 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally smooth in southwest.
Weather
Occasional rain at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or southwest, backing south later, 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South veering southwest for a time, 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Occasional rain at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers, rain later in north.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest backing south, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers at first in north.
Visibility
Good.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first near North Foreland.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in south.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwesterly backing southerly 2 to 4, increasing 5 at times later in north.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwesterly 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4, then becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state
Moderate becoming slight.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 3 or less, becoming southeasterly 3 or 4.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing south 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming slight later.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South backing east or southeast, 3 or 4, then becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

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

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5, backing south 3 to 5.
Sea state
Rough until later in far west, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers at first, fog patches later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South backing southeast, veering southwest later, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first in west, then becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in lyme bay.
Weather
Fog patches.
Visibility
Good, occasionally very poor.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwesterly backing southerly, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in west, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in the inner Bristol Channel.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later in the inner Bristol Channel.
Weather
Showers, rain and fog patches later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally very poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South backing southeast, 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in the inner Bristol Channel.
Weather
Rain at first, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

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

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwesterly backing southerly, 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times mainly west of Anglesey.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in southwest.
Weather
Showers at first, occasional rain and fog patches later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly, backing southeasterly for a time, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first west of Anglesey.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in northeast.
Weather
Rain or drizzle.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times in north and west.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers at first, occasional rain and fog patches later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly, backing southeasterly for a time, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north and west.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in Liverpool Bay.
Weather
Rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good ,occasionally very poor.

Isle of Man (12)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5, backing and increasing south or southwest 5 or 6.
Sea state
Moderate.
Weather
Fair, then rain, drizzle and mist patches.
Visibility
Good, then moderate or poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southwest 5 or 6, backing southeast 3 or 4, then veering south or southwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate, falling slight or moderate.
Weather
Mist patches, risk of fog later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor or very poor.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southerly 4 or 5 later, occasionally 6 later in south.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain later, fog patches later in south.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later, or very poor later in south.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly, backing southeasterly for a time, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in south.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers, fair later.
Visibility
Moderate or good occasionally poor.

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

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Westerly becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming southerly 4 or 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in North Channel.
Weather
Occasional rain later, fog patches later in south.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later, or very poor later in south.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly backing southeasterly for a time, 4 or 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers, fair later.
Visibility
Moderate or good occasionally poor at first.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West backing south or southwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in north.
Weather
Rain or showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest backing south or southeast, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good occasionally poor.

The Minch (16)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest backing south for a time, 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth north of skye.
Weather
Rain or showers, becoming fair for a time.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest backing south 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth north of skye.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southwest backing south for a time, 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers, becoming fair for a time.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwesterly backing southerly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north and later elsewhere.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in west.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Shetland Isles (18)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Southeasterly 4 or 5, veering southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later in west.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

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

Valid Wednesday 20 May 2026 at 1200 UTC until Thursday 21 May 2026 at 0000 UTC

General situation

Atlantic low will be slow-moving to the northwest of Scotland with a weather front moving northeast over Shetland Waters on Wednesday.

Forecast

Wind
Southeast 4 or 5 veering southwest 3 or 4.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough in northeast.
Weather
Rain at times. Fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor or very poor.

Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Thursday 21 May until 1200 UTC on Thursday 21 May

Wind
Southwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in west.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming slight to the east of shetland.
Weather
Rain then fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Channel Islands (19)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Westerly 3 to 4, locally 5 in the north of the area, and northerly 2 in the in the far south of the area, generally becoming variable 1 to 3 this evening, then southeast to east 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Rather rough mid-channel at first, otherwise slight to moderate with a moderate swell, decreasing smooth to slight with a low swell.
Weather
Risk of mist or fog patches after midnight.
Visibility
Good, perhaps locally poor or very poor after midnight.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Easterly 2 to 4, perhaps occasionally 5 mid-channel in the evening, veering southeast to south overnight, becoming easterly or variable 1 to 3 later.
Sea state
Smooth to slight, with a low swell.
Weather
Risk of mist or fog patches early afternoon.
Visibility
Good, perhaps locally poor or very poor early afternoon.

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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