Coast and Sea

Inshore waters and strong winds


General situation

Low pressure centred close to north Scotland giving a cool and showery westerly flow across the inshore waters, will fill in situ, as a deeper Atlantic low moves east towards the British Isles. This will bring strengthening winds and outbreaks of rain later on Monday and more especially on Tuesday. Showers will follow the rain from the west on Tuesday.

Issued at: .

For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 00:00 (UTC) on Mon 18 May 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Tue 19 May 2026

Inshore waters and strong winds map


Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight until later in south, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 near Orkney and later near Rattray Head.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in east.
Weather
Fair then rain, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southwest 2 to 4, backing southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally smooth at first in south and moderate later in north.
Weather
Showers in south.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate in south.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast 4 or 5, increasing 5 or 6 for a time, occasionally 7 later near Rattray Head.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
Weather
Fair then rain, showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southwest backing southeast, 3 or 4, occasionally 2 at first and 5 later.
Sea state
Slight.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast 4 or 5, increasing 5 to 7, veering south 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Slight becoming moderate.
Weather
Fair then rain, showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state
Slight.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southeast 4 or 5, increasing 5 to 7 for a time.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic, then southerly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in east.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery later in north.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly 4 or 5, backing southeasterly 5 or 6, then veering southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in west.
Weather
Fair then rain, showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly, backing southerly or southeasterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight in far east, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6, then veering southwesterly later.
Sea state
Slight becoming moderate.
Weather
Rain then showers, fair later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West backing southwest, 3 to 5, then backing south 5 or 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South or southeast veering southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight at first.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, becoming good.

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, then backing south 5 or 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough in west.
Weather
Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South veering southwest, 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough in west and later in east, becoming very rough later near Isles of Scilly.
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
Westerly or southwesterly, backing southerly or southeasterly later, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times in north.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough at first in west.
Weather
Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeasterly veering southwesterly, 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first.
Sea state
Slight or moderate in east, moderate or rough in west.
Weather
Rain then showers.
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 southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeast 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first near St Davids Head.
Weather
Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor in south.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast veering southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in west.
Weather
Rain then showers.
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
Southwest 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeast 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers then fair, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast veering south, then southwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Isle of Man (12)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or southwest 3 or 4, backing south or southeast 5 or 6 later.
Sea state
Slight, becoming moderate later.
Weather
Showers then fair, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast 5 or 6, increasing 6 or 7, then veering south or southwest 5 or 6.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 5 or 6 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight until later in south, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers then fair, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast 5 to 7, veering south 4 to 6, then southwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain then thundery showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less, becoming southeasterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Mull of Kintyre, becoming moderate later in North Channel.
Weather
Showers then fair, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeasterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 in North Channel, veering southerly 4 or 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Firth of Clyde.
Weather
Rain then showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less, becoming southeast 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough at first west of Tiree.
Weather
Mainly fair, rain later in south.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later in south.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, veering south 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough west of Tiree.
Weather
Occasional rain, showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

The Minch (16)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less, becoming southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight near skye.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
East or southeast 4 to 6, veering south 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight in north and east, slight or moderate in southwest.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less, becoming southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough at first in west.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
East or southeast 4 to 6, veering south 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough near barra.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shetland Isles (18)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
South or southeast 3 or 4, increasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight just northeast of Shetland.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good.

For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)

Strong wind warning

Valid Monday 18 May 2026 at 0000 UTC until Monday 18 May 2026 at 1200 UTC

General situation

Low pressure west of the UK maintains a southeasterly flow over Shetland Waters

Forecast

Wind
Mainly south or southeast 3 to 5
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough at first in northwest. slight just east of shetland.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate at first.

Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Monday 18 May until 0000 UTC on Tuesday 19 May

Wind
Southeast 3 to 5
Sea state
Moderate. slight just east of shetland.
Weather
Mainly fair
Visibility
Good

Channel Islands (19)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West to northwest 3 to 4, locally 5, backing south to southwest by dawn, further backing south and increasing 4 to 5, perhaps locally 6.
Sea state
Slight to moderate, with a low swell.
Weather
Occasional showers, perhaps locally heavy rain from evening, heavy later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
South 5 to 6, veering southwest 4 to 5, perhaps occasionally 6 in the north of the area later.
Sea state
Slight to moderate with a low swell, increasing moderate to rather rough in the north and west, further increasing rather rough to rough mid-channel later.
Weather
Rain or showers, locally heavy and perhaps misty, clearing later.
Visibility
Good, becoming moderate to poor for a time.

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.