Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
Low pressure centred over southwestern Scotland will move slowly northeast, bringing rain or showers to many northern and western coasts, as well as some isolated showers towards the southeast. Winds will be strong at times, with gales for some northwestern waters.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 12:00 (UTC) on Tue 4 Aug 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Wed 5 Aug 2026
Inshore waters and strong winds map
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly 5 or 6 becoming variable 2 to 4 in south, easterly backing northeasterly 5 to 7 in north, perhaps gale 8 later in far northwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery later in southeast, fog patches later in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor and very poor later in east.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming northwesterly 5 to 7 in south, northeasterly 5 to 7 backing northwesterly 3 to 5 in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north and later in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery at first in southeast, fog patches at first in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first, but very poor at first in east.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north, veering southwesterly 2 to 4 later, occasionally 5 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then thundery showers, fog patches later in far north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, but very poor later in far north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first in south, veering northwesterly 4 to 6, but 6 or 7 for a time in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in north.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first, fog patches at first in far north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first, but very poor at first in far north.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first in far north, veering southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, but poor at first.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeasterly, becoming variable for a time, 2 to 4, veering southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first in north.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, but poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north, then northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, but variable 2 to 4 at first in north.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in the wash and Thames estuary, occasionally moderate elsewhere.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first near North Foreland.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight later in south.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in east and later in west.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times near North Foreland, veering westerly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming mainly slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly, veering westerly for a time later, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later in east.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, veering west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in east, moderate in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, veering northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, veering west or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in inner Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, but poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, veering northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5, veering westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later in far north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, but poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, but 6 or 7 at first in far north, veering northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west for a time, 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 at first, veering northwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor until later.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest, veering west or southwest, 4 or 5, increasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, veering west or northwest 5 or 6, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional showers becoming isolated later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 in north, then cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough until later in north, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later in far south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, becoming good later.
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, veering westerly for a time, 2 to 4, then westerly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, veering northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time in the North Channel, then smooth or slight later in the Firth of Clyde.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, becoming good later.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in east, slight or moderate in west, becoming moderate or rough later in far west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first in west, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, becoming good later.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 until later in south, otherwise northerly or northeasterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in southeast, slight or moderate in north and west, becoming moderate or rough later in far north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 5 to 7, backing westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, becoming good later.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 until later in far south, otherwise northerly or northeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later in far north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate in southeast.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 5 to 7, backing westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, becoming good later.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East 3 to 5, backing northeast 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate, occasionally rough later in south and southwest.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Tuesday 04 Aug 2026 at 1200 UTC until Wednesday 05 Aug 2026 at 0000 UTC
General situation
Low pressure will become slow moving across Scotland. Strengthening northeasterly flow developing across Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- Easterly backing northeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 in south
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in south
- Weather
- Rain at times
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Wednesday 05 Aug until 1200 UTC on Wednesday 05 Aug
- Wind
- Northeast 5 to 7
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in south
- Weather
- Rain at times
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 4, locally variable 1 to 2 at first, increasing 4 to 5 this evening, veering west to northwest overnight.
- Sea state
- Smooth to slight with a low swell, increasing slight to moderate in the evening.
- Weather
- Isolated showers.
- Visibility
- Good, perhaps locally moderate or poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West to northwest 4 to 5, decreasing 3 to 4 Thursday morning.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, perhaps locally rather rough.
- Weather
- Isolated showers.
- Visibility
- Good or very good.
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.