Coast and sea
General situation
A ridge of high pressure will move eastwards across the United Kingdom during Sunday night and Monday morning, introducing a quieter spell of weather, before a strengthening south to southeasterly flow develops in the west on Monday.
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
- West 6 to gale 8 backing southwest 4 to 6, then southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north, but becoming slight or moderate in east and smooth or slight in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers, squally and wintry at first, becoming mainly fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly, becoming cyclonic later in west, 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 later in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough to the west and north of Orkney and smooth or slight in Moray Firth, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing southwest 3 to 5, then backing south or southeast later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first near Rattray Head, otherwise slight or moderate, but becoming smooth or slight in south.
- Weather
- Showers at first, perhaps wintry.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 or 3 for a time in Firth of Forth, then increasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight until later in St Andrews Bay and Firth of Forth, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 5 to 7 backing southwest 2 to 4, then southeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 to 5, increasing 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 4 to 6 backing southwest 2 to 4, then southeast 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate later in north.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5 becoming variable 3 or less, then easterly or southeasterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 or 4, increasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 becoming variable 3 or less, then easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in east and moderate in west.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 or less then east or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East 4 or 5, occasionally 3 in The Solent, increasing 6 at times elsewhere.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 2 to 4 backing south or southeast 4 or 5, then east or southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first from Lizard Point westwards, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 later except in Lyme Bay.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east but becoming rough or very rough in west.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly backing southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in west, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 until later, then becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5 backing southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later except in Cardigan Bay, Caernarfon Bay and to the east of Anglesey.
- Sea state
- Rough at first near Pembrokeshire, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5, but increasing 6 for a time in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough for a time near St David's Head.
- 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 4 to 6 backing south 2 to 4, then southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming smooth or slight, then occasionally moderate again later in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 to 5 backing east or southeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in Liverpool Bay, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times later in west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later in west.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in north, backing southerly 3 or 4, then southeasterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 3 or 4 increasing 4 to 6, veering south 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 4 to 6 backing south 3 or 4, then southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in far north, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first, perhaps wintry.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far north.
- Weather
- Rain at times 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
- Westerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, backing southerly 3 or 4, then southeasterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first near the Mull of Kintyre, otherwise slight or moderate, but becoming smooth or slight to the north and east of Arran.
- Weather
- Showers at first, perhaps wintry.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 at times to the north and east of Arran.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight to the north and east of Arran.
- Weather
- Rain at times later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, backing south 3 or 4, then southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east but very rough at first in west.
- Weather
- Squally showers, perhaps wintry, then fair, then occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west and slight in east.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly 6 to gale 8 backing southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, then southeasterly 4 to 6 later, occasionally 7 later in south and west.
- Sea state
- Rough until later in far north, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Squally showers, perhaps wintry, then fair, then occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in south and west, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly 6 to gale 8 backing southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, then southeasterly 4 to 6 later, occasionally 7 later in south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers, perhaps wintry, then fair, then occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in south, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough except near Sutherland.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6 veering north or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry at first, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Sunday 05 Apr 2026 at 1800 UTC until Monday 06 Apr 2026 at 0600 UTC
General situation
A strong showery westerly or northwesterly flow covers Shetland Waters. Ridge of high pressure will build from the south during Monday.
Forecast
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later in south
- Sea state
- Rough, but moderate just east of Shetland and occasionally very rough later in southwest
- Weather
- Showers, wintry at first
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Monday 06 Apr until 1800 UTC on Monday 06 Apr
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5 backing southeast 2 to 4
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in southwest
- Weather
- Showers at first, otherwise fair
- Visibility
- Mainly good
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West to northwest 3 to 4, becoming variable 1 to 2 for a time overnight, then east to southeast 3 to 4 by dawn occasionally 5 in the north and west of the area.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, with a low to moderate swell.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East to southeast 4 to 5, occasionally 3 in the south and east of the area, becoming variable 1 to 3 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth to slight, occasionally moderate in the north, with a low to moderate swell.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
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.
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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