Coast and sea
General situation
The southwesterly airflow currently affecting most of the United Kingdom will veer westerly or northwesterly as an area of low pressure moves eastwards to the north of Scotland. There will be gales in the north and rain or showers in most areas.
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
- Southwest, veering west or northwest for a time, 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough to the west and north of Orkney, elsewhere mainly slight or moderate, but occasionally smooth in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest, veering west or northwest, 3 to 5 increasing 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough to the west and north of Orkney, elsewhere mainly slight or moderate, but occasionally smooth at first in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, squally for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5 increasing 5 to 7, then veering westerly or northwesterly later, occasionally gale 8 later in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight , occasionally moderate at first near Rattray Head, becoming moderate or rough for a time.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then rain, then showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West, backing southwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate offshore.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west, then veering northwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, backing southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first in south.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest, veering northwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5 veering northwesterly 4 or 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate for a time near northeast Norfolk.
- Weather
- Rain for a time at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6, veering northwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5, but southwesterly at first in east, backing southwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in east and moderate in west.
- Weather
- Rain for a time at first in east.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first in east.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 increasing 4 to 6, veering northwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle and fog patches for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate to very poor for a time.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 or 4 increasing 4 to 6, veering west or northwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle and fog patches for a time later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate to very poor later.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest, backing southwest later, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in east, moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first in east.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, veering west or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in west, becoming smooth or slight in lyme bay.
- Weather
- Drizzle and fog patches for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate to very poor for a time.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest, veering northwest later, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, veering west or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in inner Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Drizzle and fog patches for a time at first.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate to very poor for a time.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in north.
- Weather
- Rain, drizzle and fog patches for a time at first.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate to very poor for a time.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West veering northwest, then backing west later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight for a time.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 5 or 6, decreasing 4 or 5, backing southwest 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight for a time.
- Weather
- South at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 6 or 7, veering west 5 or 6, veering northwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, becoming fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasional poor becoming good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly, backing southwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in far north, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Squally showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly, veering westerly or northwesterly, 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far north and slight in east and south.
- Weather
- Rain for a time at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly, backing southerly or southwesterly later, 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 later in North Channel.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough near Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Squally showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly, veering westerly or northwesterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain for a time at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest, backing southwest later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first and later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in west, moderate or rough in east.
- Weather
- Squally showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest, veering northwest, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- In west, rough or very rough, occasionally high, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing west or southwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but rough or very rough near entrances.
- Weather
- Squally showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest, veering west or northwest for a time, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing west or southwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first to the west of the Outer Hebrides and in far north.
- Weather
- Squally showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest, veering west or northwest for a time, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high to the west of the Outer Hebrides.
- Weather
- Rain or showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering west or northwest for a time, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in northwest.
- Weather
- Squally showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Friday 28 Mar 2025 at 1200 UTC until Saturday 29 Mar 2025 at 0000 UTC
General situation
An area of low pressure to the north of Shetland will move east or northeast with a transient ridge of high pressure building through Saturday.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest 6 to gale 8
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in northwest, but moderate just east of shetland
- Weather
- Squally showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Saturday 29 Mar until 1200 UTC on Saturday 29 Mar
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8 backing west or southwest 3 to 5
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in northwest, but moderate just east of shetland
- Weather
- Wintry showers at first
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 5, increasing 5 to 6 by evening, perhaps briefly gusting 35kt, decreasing 3 to 4 overnight, backing west 2 to 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate with a low swell, increasing moderate to rather rough for a time today, locally decreasing smooth by midday tomorrow.
- Weather
- Rain and drizzle in the far southeast, clearing early afternoon isolated showers, dying out by dawn.
- Visibility
- Good to very good, locally moderate or poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 2 to 3, backing southwest to south 4 to 5 by late evening, veering west to northwest by dawn, decreasing 3 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth to slight with a low swell, increasing slight to moderate for a time.
- Weather
- Patchy rain or drizzle overnight.
- Visibility
- Good or very good, locally moderate or 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.
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.
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