Coast and sea
General situation
A deep area of low pressure will move northwards across Ireland today. This will continue to bring gales or severe gales to the United Kingdom inshore waters, away from the southeast, with storm force winds likely at first in some western areas. By Wednesday, low pressure now centred further west in the Atlantic will bring a showery moderate or strong south or southeast flow, with further gales at times for some western 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
- East or southeast 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but very rough in east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in east.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times in Moray Firth.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in east, otherwise mainly moderate or rough, but occasionally slight in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming rough later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 4 to 6, but 3 or 4 until later in Firth of Forth.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate in south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain, then showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable, mainly south, 2 to 4, backing southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in north, moderate in south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, then becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming moderate later, then slight later in far south.
- Weather
- Rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming southeast 3 or 4, increasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, veering southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight later, then smooth later in Thames estuary.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate occasionally poor, becoming good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, backing easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, but smooth at first in Thames estuary, becoming moderate later in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, veering southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in far west.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 or 3, then southeasterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast veering south or southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough at first in west, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery in west.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers at first, then mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, but severe gale 9 or storm 10 at first in far west, decreasing 3 to 5, then backing southeasterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, but high at first in west and moderate later in east.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 at times in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, mainly very rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first in west, veering southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5, then backing southeasterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, mainly rough or very rough in west, but becoming high for a time in far southwest.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 at times in far west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in west, slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 7 to severe gale 9, veering southwest 4 to 6, backing southeast later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time, then slight later in far northeast.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight until later in far northeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in northwest, veering southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming mainly fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast gale 8, decreasing south 4 or 5, backing east or southeast later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough, slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate soon becoming mainly good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 4 or 5, increasing 5 or 6, increasing 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, only isolated showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, veering south 6 to gale 8, backing southeast 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
- 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
- Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in North Channel, veering southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first in North Channel, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth in sheltered northeast, occasionally rough later in North Channel.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first in west and south, veering southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in west, moderate or rough in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in far west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times near entrances, veering southeast 4 to 6 later, occasionally 3 later in central areas.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in central areas, rough near entrances.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough near entrances, and smooth to the east of skye.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East 7 to severe gale 9, veering southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 until later in south.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate in north and very rough in south.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Tuesday 27 Jan 2026 at 1200 UTC until Wednesday 28 Jan 2026 at 0000 UTC
General situation
Storm Chandra will move northwest across Ireland this afternoon, maintaining a strong southeasterly flow over Shetland waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 in northeast
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough
- Weather
- Showers, rain later
- Visibility
- Moderate or good
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Wednesday 28 Jan until 1200 UTC on Wednesday 28 Jan
- Wind
- Southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in southwest
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough
- Weather
- Occasional rain
- Visibility
- Moderate or good
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South to southwest 6 to 7 with gusts to 45kt, decreasing 5 to 6 by dusk, then 4 to 5 by late evening, backing south to southeast 3 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rather rough to rough, locally very rough mid-channel at times, decreasing locally slight with a moderate swell later.
- Weather
- Occasional showers, locally heavy with a small risk of thunder, clearing during the evening.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate to poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 5, locally 3 in the far south, increasing 5 to 6 after dusk.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate with a moderate swell.
- Weather
- Risk of isolated showers Thursday morning.
- Visibility
- Good, perhaps moderate.
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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