Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
A strong westerly or southwesterly flow will affect the coastal waters during the weekend, with rain or showers at times. Gales are expected during Saturday over northern Scotland, but winds will decrease during Sunday as a ridge of high pressure moves in from the southwest.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 06:00 (UTC) on Sat 19 Sep 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Sun 20 Sep 2026
Inshore waters and strong winds map
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times, veering westerly 6 to gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later in north.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough to the west and north of Orkney and slight or moderate in Moray Firth, but elsewhere moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 6 to gale 8 veering northwest 5 or 6, backing south 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- To the west and north of Orkney, rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later, elsewhere, moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in north.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in south, decreasing 4 at times in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough later near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7 veering west or northwest 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first near Rattray Head, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in north.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, veering northwest 4 or 5, backing southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight for a time.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 to 6 veering northwest 4 or 5, backing west or southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6, veering westerly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in The Wash, and later also in south.
- Weather
- Rain at times, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor until later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in north, then decreasing 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate near northeastern Norfolk, but elsewhere 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, occasionally 7 in east, veering westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate, but slight or moderate near North Foreland.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, but becoming fair for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first and poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 or 5 decreasing 2 or 3, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6, veering west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight later in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, but becoming fair for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first and poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first in east, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, veering northwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough until later from Land's End westwards, otherwise mainly moderate, but becoming slight later in east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate until later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 2 to 4 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6 veering west 4 or 5, then northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later in north.
- Weather
- Rain at times, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor until later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first in Bristol Channel, becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6, veering west or northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5 backing west or southwest 2 to 4, then south or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest, veering northwest later, 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight near Welsh and Scottish coasts.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 or 6 decreasing 3 or 4, backing south or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming smooth or slight, then becoming moderate again later in north.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first, then veering west later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 5 or 6 backing southwest 3 or 4, then increasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight for a time.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in far north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in far north, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4, then south or southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in far north, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight for a time.
- Weather
- Showers then fair, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later near the Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6 becoming variable 3 or less, then southerly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first near the Mull of Kintyre, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight for a time.
- Weather
- Showers then fair, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering west 5 to 7, then veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in west, moderate or rough in east.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 backing west 2 to 4, then south 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough at first in west, otherwise moderate or rough, but becoming slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Showers then fair, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor later.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering west 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 at times later.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate or rough, but slight or moderate just north and east of Skye.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7 backing west or southwest 3 to 5, then south 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first except just north and east of Skye, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then fair, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering west 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 at times later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough until later near Sutherland, otherwise rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7 backing west or southwest 3 to 5, then south 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough at first except between Barra and Canna, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers then fair, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 6 or 7, veering west or northwest 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in north, west and south but moderate or rough in east.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Saturday 19 Sep 2026 at 0600 UTC until Saturday 19 Sep 2026 at 1800 UTC
General situation
Low pressure to the north of Shetland Waters moves east on Saturday with a ridge building to the west on Sunday.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southwest 6 or 7.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, but moderate at times east of Shetland.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps some hail and thunder.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Saturday 19 Sep until 0600 UTC on Sunday 20 Sep
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, but moderate at times east of Shetland.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West to southwest 4 to 5, occasionally 6 in the north until dusk, locally 2 to 3 in the far southeast of the area from midday until around dusk, veering northwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate with a low swell, occasionally rather rough in the north until dusk.
- Weather
- Patchy light rain or drizzle with a risk of mist patches, spreading eastwards, clearing by early afternoon.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest to north 2 to 4, veering north to northeast 2 to 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, decreasing smooth to slight by mid-morning, a low swell throughout.
- Weather
- Patchy rain or drizzle spreading eastwards, with a risk of mist patches and coastal fog, clearing around midday.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate to poor until midday.
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.
Please refer to GMDSS services, INMARSAT SafetyNET or international NAVTEX for the latest information. When using these web pages, always check that the page on your screen is not from your cache. Use the Refresh or Reload button if in any doubt.