Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
High pressure centred to the north of Scotland will bring light to moderate breezes to most northern and eastern areas, whereas further south and west northeasterly winds will strengthen at times, becoming strong in places especially in the far south. A frontal trough will bring thundery rain at first to some northeastern coastlines where there is also a risk of fog patches.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 12:00 (UTC) on Sat 11 Jul 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Sun 12 Jul 2026
Inshore waters and strong winds map
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate to the west and north of Orkney, but elsewhere smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain at first in south, otherwise fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first in south.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in northwest and in Moray Firth.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Thundery rain at first, fog patches until later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor until later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or northeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth at first, becoming moderate at times near Whitby.
- Weather
- Rain at first, perhaps thundery, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in south.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 3 at first in north and 6 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor until later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in east.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly backing northeasterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time at first, occasionally 7 later near southern headlands.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far southwest.
- Weather
- Showers later in far west.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 from Start Point westwards, perhaps gale 8 later near southern headlands.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in lyme bay, moderate or rough elsewhere.
- Weather
- Showers in far west.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first near south Wales coast, otherwise easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in north, perhaps gale 8 later in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Bristol Channel and rough later near Lands End.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in far west, but elsewhere smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in Cardigan Bay and caernarfon bay, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times in Solway Firth.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in Solway Firth and near great orme head.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in north.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeast 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming mainly slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in north.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 until later in far north, otherwise northerly or northwesterly veering easterly or northeasterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first in far north, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in south.
- Weather
- Fair.
- 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
- Northwesterly at first in North Channel, otherwise northerly or northeasterly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times just south of arran.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly 3 to 5 at first in west, otherwise variable becoming mainly easterly or northeasterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable mainly easterly or northeasterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
The Minch (16)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 near skye.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 to 5 at first in north, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less in south.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shetland Isles (18)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable, becoming mainly north or northwest, 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight to the east of Shetland, but elsewhere slight, occasionally moderate until later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Saturday 11 Jul 2026 at 1200 UTC until Sunday 12 Jul 2026 at 0000 UTC
General situation
A ridge of high pressure covers Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- North or northwest 2 or 3
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth in sheltered waters just east of shetland.
- Weather
- Fair
- Visibility
- Good
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Sunday 12 Jul until 1200 UTC on Sunday 12 Jul
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 2 or 3, occasionally 4 in far east
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth in sheltered waters just east of shetland.
- Weather
- Fair
- Visibility
- Good
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, occasionally rather rough in the north and west.
- Weather
- Risk of isolated thunderstorms, mainly in the south and west of the area after dusk risk of mist later.
- Visibility
- Good or very good, perhaps poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East to northeast 5 to 6, occasionally 7 from dusk Sunday.
- Sea state
- Slight in the southeast, moderate to rather rough elsewhere, locally rough mid-channel by midnight.
- Weather
- Risk of isolated thunderstorms, mainly in the south of the area towards dawn on Monday.
- Visibility
- Good or very good, perhaps 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.
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