Coast and sea
General situation
The United Kingdom will lie in a south to southwesterly airflow during the next couple of days. A developing deep area of low pressure over the northeast Atlantic will pass close to northwestern Ireland and northwestern Scotland later on Sunday and during Sunday night. This will bring severe gales as well as storm force or violent storm force winds to some northern waters.
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
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in Moray Firth, elsewhere mainly moderate or rough, but becoming very rough or high in east.
- Weather
- Wintry showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast veering south or southwest, 7 to severe gale 9, veering west or northwest 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate or rough, but very rough or high until later in far east, and becoming very rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 5 or 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally 6 in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain or sleet.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in north, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 5 or 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then rain or sleet.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers then rain or sleet.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 6 to gale 8 veering southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate, then rough later.
- Weather
- Wintry showers at first in east, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 6 to gale 8 veering southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 3 or 4, veering south 6 to gale 8, then southwest 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate or rough, but slight at first in east and very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough until later in west, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly veering southwesterly later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, then very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Rain then showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate or rough, but occasionally very rough until later in west and slight in east.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in north, veering southwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, then occasionally very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Fair then rain, then showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering southwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in far west.
- Weather
- Rain then showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering westerly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in west, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast veering south or southwest later, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5 backing south or southeast 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South veering southwest later, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in south and later also in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough occasionally very rough, but becoming slight or moderate later in east.
- Weather
- Rain or 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
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7, veering northwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time, then becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 or 6, then becoming southwest severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time near western Tiree, then very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, decreasing 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in south.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, becoming southwest 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in south and later also in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time except in far north.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, becoming southwest 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high in south and later also in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 to storm 10.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming high, occasionally very high later in east.
- Weather
- Wintry showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Sunday 11 Jan 2026 at 0000 UTC until Sunday 11 Jan 2026 at 1200 UTC
General situation
Complex area of low pressure will remain slow moving south of Iceland maintaining a strong south or southeasterly flow across Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- South or southeast 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 to storm 10
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming high
- Weather
- Wintry showers, rain later
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Sunday 11 Jan until 0000 UTC on Monday 12 Jan
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally 7 later in the west.
- Sea state
- Mainly high, occasionally very high in east and moderate just northwest of shetland.
- Weather
- Rain
- Visibility
- Good becoming moderate or poor
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South to southeast 4 to 5, increasing 6 to 7 by dawn, with gusts to 45kt by midday, perhaps occasionally gale 8 mid-channel for a time, veering southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight with a low swell, increasing moderate to rather rough around dawn, further increasing rough in the north of the area by midday.
- Weather
- Rain and drizzle by dawn, perhaps locally heavy with a risk of mist or fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor or very poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South to southwest 4 to 6, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate with a low to moderate swell in the southeast of the area, rather rough to rough in the northwest.
- Weather
- Rain and drizzle by dawn, mainly in the southeast of the area, with a risk of mist or fog patches, clearing by afternoon isolated showers, mainly in the northwest.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor or very poor for a time.
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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