Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
High pressure centred out in the Atlantic extends a ridge eastwards across the British Isles. This will give a strong northeasterly flow in the south. The ridge will eventually decline southwards, and allow a frontal trough to move into the north later on Sunday.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 18:00 (UTC) on Sat 9 May 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Sun 10 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, becoming west 4 or 5, then veering north or northwest 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in far northwest and smooth or slight in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North 5 or 6, backing northwest 4 or 5, then becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Rain at first in south, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first in south.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeast becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming west or northwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, veering north 5 or 6, then becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeast 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north 5 or 6, then backing northwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North 4 or 5, veering northeast 5 or 6, then becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 2 to 4, increasing 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 to 6, backing northwesterly 3 or 4, then increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far northeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first, and increasing 7 at times later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight at first.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 6 or 7, backing northerly 4 or 5, then becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Rain at first, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East 2 to 4, backing northeast 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast 5 or 6, backing north 4 or 5, then becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in far west.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast backing north 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing northwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but rough at first in far west.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in far west.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in west, backing northerly or northwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in east, slight or moderate in west.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast backing northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, then veering north 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeast, backing west or northwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in west.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Fair at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northeast, backing northwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5, veering north or northeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northeast 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4, then backing northwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in north, smooth or slight in south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
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 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in North Channel, becoming variable 2 to 4, then northwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Firth of Clyde.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Firth of Clyde.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5, veering north 3 or 4, then backing northwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in shelter.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5, veering northeast 2 to 4, then becoming variable later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in shelter.
- Weather
- Showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
The Minch (16)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then west or northwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate in far northeast.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then west or northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5, backing west 3 or 4, then veering north 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Saturday 09 May 2026 at 1800 UTC until Sunday 10 May 2026 at 0600 UTC
General situation
Showery northwesterly flow covers Shetland Waters. Low pressure system pushes southeast across Shetland Waters through Sunday afternoon.
Forecast
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5
- Sea state
- Rough, but moderate southeast of shetland, and slight in lee shelter just east of shetland.
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Sunday 10 May until 1800 UTC on Sunday 10 May
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming north 5 or 6 later
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight in lee shelter just east of shetland
- Weather
- Showers at first, then rain
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East to northeast 4 to 5, increasing 5 to 6 with gusts to 35kt overnight, perhaps locally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, increasing slight to moderate after midnight, further increasing rather rough to rough in the north and west by mid-morning.
- Weather
- Scattered showers, perhaps locally heavy and thundery, becoming isolated after midnight.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast 5 to 6 with gusts to 40kt, perhaps locally 7 until dawn, backing northwest 3 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate to rather rough, decreasing smooth or slight with a low swell around midday.
- Weather
- Isolated showers, mainly dying out patchy rain overnight, clearing southward after dawn.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor.
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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