Coast and sea
General situation
The current very cold, unstable and mainly northerly or northwesterly airflow will persist through Monday, with strong winds affecting most locations. Showers of sleet, hail and snow will be most widespread in the north, but during Monday evening and night they will gradually turn to rain across western coasts of Scotland as the flow backs westerly.
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
- North or northwest 4 to 6, backing south or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough until later except in Moray Firth, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Squally sleet or snow showers, then rain or snow later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest becoming cyclonic then northeast, then backing north or northwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, sleet or snow at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough for a time near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Sleet or snow showers then mainly fair, then rain or snow later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4 becoming cyclonic 2 to 4, then north or northeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, sleet or snow at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first, backing west 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Squally sleet or snow showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5 becoming cyclonic 2 to 4, then north 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then rain or sleet at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north, backing westerly 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in north, otherwise moderate.
- Weather
- Squally sleet or snow showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 backing southwest 5 or 6, becoming cyclonic 3 or 4 later, then becoming northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then rain or sleet at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, veering northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7 for a time in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in north, smooth or slight in south.
- Weather
- Sleet or snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5 backing southwesterly 5 or 6, becoming cyclonic 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Thames Estuary and The Wash.
- Weather
- Wintry showers then fair, then rain or sleet later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 2 to 4 veering northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, then increasing 6 for a time in far east.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later near North Foreland.
- Weather
- Wintry showers, mainly in east.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in east.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 or 4 backing southwesterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor later.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Wintry showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 or 4 backing southwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 later, then veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor later.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in west and 3 in east, then backing northwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough to the west of Land's End and smooth in east.
- Weather
- Rain or sleet, then wintry showers in west but becoming fair in east.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 or 4 backing southwest 5 to 7, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first from Lizard Point eastwards, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 in east, then backing northwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in far west and smooth in east.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 or 4 backing southwest 4 to 6, then veering northwest again later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in east and rough later in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North 4 to 6, backing west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry until later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5 backing southwest 4 to 6, then veering northwest again later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight for a time in north.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5 backing southwest 4 to 6, then veering north or northwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 5 or 6 decreasing 4 or 5, then backing west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight or moderate for a time.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 to 6 backing southwest 6 or 7, veering north or northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time.
- Weather
- Occasional rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, backing west or southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in far north, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Sleet or snow showers, squally at first, then occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor at first and poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest veering north or northwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate until later in North Channel, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Sleet or snow showers, mainly in North Channel, then rain at times later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly veering northwesterly, 4 to 6, then veering northerly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate except in far north.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North 4 to 6, backing west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in far west but becoming smooth or slight in east.
- Weather
- Sleet or snow showers, squally at first, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first and poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south, then becoming northerly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in east, otherwise slight or moderate, but occasionally rough later in west.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, perhaps wintry.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4, then west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in north, otherwise slight or moderate, but occasionally smooth in south and east.
- Weather
- Sleet or snow showers, squally at first, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first and poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5 becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 then northeast 4 or 5, backing north or northwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight or moderate, but occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Rain, then wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4, then west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate or rough, but slight or moderate between Barra and Canna.
- Weather
- Sleet or snow showers, squally at first, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first and poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5 becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 then northeast 4 or 5, backing north or northwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough to the west of the Outer Hebrides and smooth between Barra and Canna.
- Weather
- Rain, then wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly north 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Snow showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Monday 05 Jan 2026 at 0600 UTC until Monday 05 Jan 2026 at 1800 UTC
General situation
An unstable, northerly airflow will affect Shetland waters, with a shallow low expected to move south across the area during the day.
Forecast
- Wind
- In west, cyclonic, mainly northerly, 5 to 7 decreasing 3 to 5, in east, northerly 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in west.
- Weather
- Snow and hail showers, squally at first in west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor or very poor.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Monday 05 Jan until 0600 UTC on Tuesday 06 Jan
- Wind
- In west, northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less, then southerly 4 to 6 later, in east, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in north and west.
- Weather
- Snow and hail showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor or very poor.
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable cyclonic 2 to 5, becoming north to northeast 4 to 5 locally 6 by mid-afternoon, decreasing 3 to 4 overnight.
- Sea state
- Smooth to slight, increasing slight to moderate for a time.
- Weather
- Rain or sleet, clearing southward by mid-afternoon, then isolated showers later, perhaps wintry.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, locally poor, becoming good by mid-afternoon.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North to northwest 2 to 4, backing west by dusk, then southwest to south 5 to 6 by midnight, perhaps occasionally 7 mid-channel, veering westerly later.
- Sea state
- Smooth to slight, increasing moderate to rather rough overnight.
- Weather
- Isolated showers at first, perhaps wintry, then rain developing in the evening, likely heavy around midnight, clearing to showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate locally poor overnight.
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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