Coast and sea
General situation
Low pressure in the norwegian basin will maintain a strong northwesterly flow with squally showers and gales at times in the north on Saturday. A second low arriving near Iceland on Sunday will bring further southwesterly gales or severe gales to northern waters, while frontal rain moves southeast across all areas.
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 or northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, backing south or southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- In northwest, high becoming rough or very rough, elsewhere, moderate or rough, becoming slight later in inner Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Thundery showers then fair, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west or northwest, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- In northwest, rough or very rough, becoming high, elsewhere moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first in the inner Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, backing southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers then fair, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, backing southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west or northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest backing southwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8, then veering west or northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly later, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing southwesterly later, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, then veering northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough for a time.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest backing southwest later, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, then veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough for a time.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest backing southwest later, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in far west.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, then veering northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but rough or very rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest backing southwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, veering northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 6 or 7, decreasing 4 or 5, then backing southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west or northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7 decreasing 4 or 5, backing southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west or northwest, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 6 or 7, decreasing 4 or 5, backing southwest 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming moderate or good later.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 6 or 7, veering west then northwest later, 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 4 or 5, backing southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but rough or very rough, occasionally high in north.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest veering west or northwest, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in far north, elsewhere moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers, rain and drizzle at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or 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
- Northwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 or 5, backing westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough west of Mull of Kintyre, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly, veering westerly or northwesterly, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough west of Mull of Kintyre, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers, rain and drizzle at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, backing west or southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- High becoming very rough, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west or northwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming high.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7, backing west or southwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough near entrances.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west or northwest, 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough near entrances.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7, backing west or southwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high occasionally very high at first.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west or northwest, 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest 5 to 7, backing south or southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- In sheltered east, moderate or rough, elsewhere very rough or high.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Saturday 28 Mar 2026 at 1200 UTC until Sunday 29 Mar 2026 at 0000 UTC
General situation
Deep low north of Faeroe clears east, a transient ridge follows east late Saturday. A further low to the northwest, extends a trough over Shetland waters early Sunday.
Forecast
- Wind
- West or southwest 6 to gale 8 veering northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, but moderate or rough to the east of shetland.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Sunday 29 Mar until 1200 UTC on Sunday 29 Mar
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 backing south or southwest 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, but moderate at first east of shetland.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 5, locally 6 at times, this afternoon and early evening, decreasing 3 to 4 by dawn, backing westerly by midday.
- Sea state
- Rather rough, locally rough in the west, decreasing slight to moderate overnight, with a low swell.
- Weather
- Risk of isolated showers mainly at first.
- Visibility
- Good or very good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West to southwest 4 to 5, soon increasing 5 to 6 locally 7 mid channel, veering northwest 4 to 5 by midday Monday.
- Sea state
- Moderate, increasing rather rough to rough by dusk.
- Weather
- Patchy light rain and drizzle late afternoon, becoming moderate and more widespread for a time in the evening clearing to fair by morning.
- Visibility
- Good, locally moderate, or poor for a time Sunday evening.
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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