Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
Low pressure centred near west Scotland giving a few showers initially to the inshore waters, will fill, 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 06:00 (UTC) on Mon 18 May 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Tue 19 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 southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first 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, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in east.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South 2 or 3, backing southeast 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth at first in south, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in south.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6, veering south or southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 2 or 3, increasing 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6, veering south 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 2 to 4, increasing 4 or 5, occasionally 3 until later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 5 or 6, decreasing 3 to 5, veering southwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in east.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery in north, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly, veering southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Thames estuary.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly backing southwesterly, 3 to 5, then backing southerly or southeasterly 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in far east, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly veering southwesterly, 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, becoming mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southerly or southeasterly 5 or 6 later, veering southwesterly 4 or 5 later in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later in south.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest backing south, 4 or 5, increasing 5 or 6 later, then veering southwest 4 to 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
- Southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later near Isles of Scilly.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest backing south, 3 to 5, backing southeast 4 to 6 later, then veering southwest later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough at first in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in east, moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- 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 becoming variable, 2 to 4, then becoming south 3 to 5, backing southeast 5 or 6 for a time later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth east of Anglesey.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South veering southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough at times in west.
- Weather
- 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
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 5 or 6 later, occasionally 7 later near Mull of Galloway.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast veering south or southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- 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
- South or southwest 2 to 4, backing southeast 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming mainly moderate later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast veering south or southwest, 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5, increasing 5 or 6 later, occasionally 7 later in northeast.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in south, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5, veering southwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then thundery showers.
- Visibility
- 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 or 5, increasing 5 or 6 later, occasionally 7 later in North Channel.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Mull of Kintyre, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers then fair, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 in North Channel, veering southerly, then southwesterly later, 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Firth of Clyde.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming east or southeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far northwest.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 5 to 7, veering south, then southwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough west of Tiree.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable becoming east or southeast, 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but mainly smooth or slight near skye.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 4 to 6, veering south or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in north and east, slight or moderate in southwest.
- Weather
- Rain at times, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable becoming east or southeast, 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough later in far southwest.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 4 to 6, veering south or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in south.
- Weather
- Rain at times, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight just northeast of Shetland.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Monday 18 May 2026 at 0600 UTC until Monday 18 May 2026 at 1800 UTC
General situation
Low pressure west of the UK maintains a southeasterly flow over Shetland Waters
Forecast
- Wind
- Southeast 3 to 5
- Sea state
- Moderate, but slight just east of shetland.
- Weather
- Mainly fair
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Monday 18 May until 0600 UTC on Tuesday 19 May
- Wind
- Southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in southwest later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, but slight just east of shetland at first.
- Weather
- Mainly fair
- Visibility
- Good
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 5, decreasing 3 to 4 by late morning, locally variable 1 to 2 in the south for a time in the afternoon, becoming south 4 to 5 during the evening, increasing 5 to 6 overnight.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, with a low swell.
- Weather
- Isolated showers rain spreading eastwards by dusk, likely heavy around midnight, clearing to isolated showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, locally poor for a time.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 4 to 5, veering southwest by midday, locally 6 in the north of the area during the evening.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate with a low swell, increasing rather rough to rough in the northwest during the evening.
- Weather
- Isolated showers.
- Visibility
- Good or very good, locally moderate.
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.