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.
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