Coast and sea
General situation
A ridge of high pressure in the east with light or moderate winds will move away, as a deep Atlantic low becomes centred to the northwest of the British Isles. This will bring unsettled conditions to the inshore waters with strong or gale force winds, especially in the north and west, and with severe gales likely in the northwest.
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
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in northeast, veering southerly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate at first in south, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in Moray Firth and very rough in east.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming southeast 6 to gale 8, veering south 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in north.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming southeast 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 later, veering southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 backing south 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming southeast 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later, veering west or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, backing south 5 to 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly, then veering westerly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly backing southerly or southwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming southeasterly 4 or 5, veering westerly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6 backing southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 2 to 4 backing southeast 4 to 6, veering west or southwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later offshore.
- Weather
- Fair then occasional rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7 decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast veering west or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate until later in east, otherwise moderate or rough, becoming very rough later west of the Lizard peninsula.
- Weather
- Rain at times, squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- To the west of the Lizard peninsula, very rough occasionally high, but elsewhere moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 in west, then veering westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first in east and very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high near Lands End and west of St Davids Head.
- Weather
- Squally 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
- South veering west or southwest, 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, then decreasing 4 to 6 for a time later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough except in far northeast.
- Weather
- Rain at times, squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 to 5 increasing 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 4 to 6 later, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in south and very rough at first near Mull of Galloway.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8, veering south or southwest 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair then rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor for a time.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, increasing 7 or gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough occasionally very rough, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 5 or 6 increasing 7 to severe gale 9, then veering south or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight at first in south, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then showers, squally later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in south and later in far north.
- Weather
- Squally 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
- Southeasterly 5 or 6 increasing 7 to severe gale 9, then veering southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough except in far northeast.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first near Mull of Galloway.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6 increasing 7 to severe gale 9, then decreasing 4 to 6 for a time again.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in east and high later west of Tiree.
- Weather
- Fair then rain, squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast, veering southwest later, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in west and moderate in east.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate occasionally rough, becoming rough or very rough in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers then rain, squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly, veering westerly or southwesterly later, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in north and very rough in southwest.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate near Sutherland and high later in south and west.
- Weather
- Showers then rain, squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly, veering westerly or southwesterly later, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough near Sutherland, otherwise rough or very rough, occasionally high in south and west.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 or 4 becoming variable 3 or less, then southeast 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough until later in east, otherwise rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Friday 10 Apr 2026 at 1200 UTC until Saturday 11 Apr 2026 at 0000 UTC
General situation
Ridge of high pressure over Shetland Waters declines Friday as deep low pressure to the west brings a strengthening southerly flow to Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 or 4 becoming variable 2 to 4, later becoming southeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, but moderate east of shetland.
- Weather
- Showers soon becoming fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Saturday 11 Apr until 1200 UTC on Saturday 11 Apr
- Wind
- Southeast, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 or severe gale 9 for a time.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, but moderate east of shetland at first.
- Weather
- Fair at first then rain.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate or poor later.
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 2 to 3 locally 4, increasing 3 to 4 locally 5 by dusk, veering northwest by dawn, backing west 4 to 5 locally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth to slight, with a low to moderate swell, increasing moderate to rather rough by dawn tomorrow.
- Weather
- Occasional rain spreading in from the east around dawn tomorrow, clearing to isolated showers late morning.
- Visibility
- Good or very good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 to 5 locally 6, backing southwest 5 to 6 locally 7 by dusk, decreasing 4 to 5 by dawn Sunday.
- Sea state
- Moderate to rough, increasing rather rough to very rough for a time late evening until mid-morning a moderate swell throughout.
- Weather
- Isolated showers.
- Visibility
- Good or very good, locally moderate 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.
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