Coast and Sea
Inshore waters and strong winds
General situation
Low pressure centred close to north Scotland giving a cool and showery westerly flow across the inshore waters, will fill in situ, as a deeper Atlantic low moves east towards the British Isles. This will bring strengthening winds and outbreaks of rain later on Monday and more especially on Tuesday. Showers will follow the rain from the west on Tuesday.
Issued at: .
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period 00:00 (UTC) on Mon 18 May 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Tue 19 May 2026
Inshore waters and strong winds map
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight until later in south, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 near Orkney and later near Rattray Head.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in east.
- Weather
- Fair then rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 2 to 4, backing southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth at first in south and moderate later in north.
- Weather
- Showers in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in south.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 or 5, increasing 5 or 6 for a time, occasionally 7 later near Rattray Head.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
- Weather
- Fair then rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest backing southeast, 3 or 4, occasionally 2 at first and 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 or 5, increasing 5 to 7, veering south 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 or 5, increasing 5 to 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic, then southerly later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in east.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery later in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 4 or 5, backing southeasterly 5 or 6, then veering southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in west.
- Weather
- Fair then rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly, backing southerly or southeasterly later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in far east, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6, then veering southwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West backing southwest, 3 to 5, then backing south 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast veering southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight at first.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, then backing south 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South veering southwest, 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in west and later in east, becoming very rough later near Isles of Scilly.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly, backing southerly or southeasterly later, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough at first in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly veering southwesterly, 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in east, moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first near St Davids Head.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in south.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast veering southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in west.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers then fair, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast veering south, then southwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 or 4, backing south or southeast 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers then fair, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 5 or 6, increasing 6 or 7, then veering south or southwest 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight until later in south, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then fair, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 5 to 7, veering south 4 to 6, then southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then thundery 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
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southeasterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Mull of Kintyre, becoming moderate later in North Channel.
- Weather
- Showers then fair, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 in North Channel, veering southerly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Firth of Clyde.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough at first west of Tiree.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, rain later in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later in south.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, veering south 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough west of Tiree.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight near skye.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 4 to 6, veering south 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in north and east, slight or moderate in southwest.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough at first in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 4 to 6, veering south 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough near barra.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 or 4, increasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight just northeast of Shetland.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Monday 18 May 2026 at 0000 UTC until Monday 18 May 2026 at 1200 UTC
General situation
Low pressure west of the UK maintains a southeasterly flow over Shetland Waters
Forecast
- Wind
- Mainly south or southeast 3 to 5
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in northwest. slight just east of shetland.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Monday 18 May until 0000 UTC on Tuesday 19 May
- Wind
- Southeast 3 to 5
- Sea state
- Moderate. slight just east of shetland.
- Weather
- Mainly fair
- Visibility
- Good
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West to northwest 3 to 4, locally 5, backing south to southwest by dawn, further backing south and increasing 4 to 5, perhaps locally 6.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, with a low swell.
- Weather
- Occasional showers, perhaps locally heavy rain from evening, heavy later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 5 to 6, veering southwest 4 to 5, perhaps occasionally 6 in the north of the area later.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate with a low swell, increasing moderate to rather rough in the north and west, further increasing rather rough to rough mid-channel later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, locally heavy and perhaps misty, clearing later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate to poor for a time.
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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