Inshore waters forecast and strong winds

Issued by the Met Office at

Inshore waters forecast to 12 miles offshore

12:00 (UTC) on Thu 16 Jul 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Fri 17 Jul 2026

General situation

High pressure centred over the north Atlantic will bring a generally light to moderate northerly or northeasterly flow to the inshore waters, with settled weather continuing in most areas.

Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less becoming north or northeast 2 to 4, backing north or northwest 3 to 5 later except in Moray Firth. Smooth or slight. Fog patches at first in north. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first in north.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 2 at first in Moray Firth, otherwise north or northwest 3 to 5. Smooth or slight in Moray Firth, but elsewhere slight or moderate. Occasional drizzle. Good, occasionally moderate.


Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5 except in St Andrews Bay and Firth of Forth. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later. Mainly fair. Good, occasionally poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Mainly north or northwest 3 to 5, but variable 2 to 4 in St Andrews Bay and Firth of Forth. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Firth of Forth. Occasional drizzle. Good, occasionally moderate.


Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less becoming north 3 or 4. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later. Fair. Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North 4 or 5. Slight or moderate, becoming moderate. Mainly fair. Good.


Whitby to Gibraltar Point

24 hour forecast: Northerly or northeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 2 at first in north. Smooth or slight. Fair. Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North 4 or 5, occasionally 3 at first. Slight, becoming slight or moderate. Mainly fair. Good.


Gibraltar Point to North Foreland

24 hour forecast: Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 later in south. Mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in The Wash. Fair. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 3 or less at first in south, otherwise northerly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in north. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate in north. Mainly fair. Good.


North Foreland to Selsey Bill - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in east, backing northerly or northeasterly 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less later. Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 3 or less, increasing 4 at times. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good.


Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis

24 hour forecast: East or northeast 3 or 4 becoming variable 3 or less. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate for a time to the south of the Isle of Wight. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 3 or less becoming west or southwest 3 or 4, veering east or northeast 2 to 4 later. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good.


Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly

24 hour forecast: East or southeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less, then occasionally 4 again later. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in far south. Showers at first in west, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally moderate in west.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable, becoming north or northwest for a time, 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good.


Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel

24 hour forecast: East or northeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4. Slight, occasionally smooth in east. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 3 or less becoming west or northwest 3 to 5, then veering north or northeast later. Slight, occasionally smooth in east. Fair. Good.


St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel

24 hour forecast: North or northeast, backing north or northwest later, 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 at times in Cardigan Bay and to the east of Anglesey. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good.


Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less, increasing 4 at times, but becoming northeast 4 or 5 for a time in Solway Firth. Smooth, occasionally slight. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 2 or 3 at first in south, otherwise northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later except near the Mull of Galloway. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good.


Isle of Man

24 hour forecast: Variable, becoming north or northeast later, 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Mainly fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North 2 to 4 backing northwest 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in west. Fair. Good.


Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less becoming north or northwest 2 to 4. Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later in far north. Fair. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 3 or less at first in south, otherwise northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 except in far south. Smooth or slight in far south, but elsewhere slight or moderate. Mainly fair. Good, occasionally moderate at first.


Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less becoming northerly or northwesterly 2 to 4, then veering northeasterly for a time later except in North Channel. Smooth, occasionally slight. Fair. Good, occasionally moderate in North Channel.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in North Channel, becoming variable 2 at times to the east and north of Arran. Slight or moderate in North Channel, but elsewhere smooth or slight. Fair. Good, occasionally moderate at first in North Channel.


Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less, becoming northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 in west and in far south. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate in west. Fair. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 3 or less at first in east, otherwise northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in west. Slight or moderate in west and in far south, but elsewhere smooth or slight. Mainly fair. Good.


The Minch - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less at first in south, otherwise northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west. Mainly fair. Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North or northeast, backing northwest for a time, 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west. Occasional drizzle. Good, occasionally moderate.


Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less at first in south, otherwise northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south. Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate. Mainly fair. Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North or northeast, backing northwest for a time, 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Occasional drizzle. Good, occasionally moderate.


Shetland Isles

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less becoming north or northwest 3 or 4. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later in far south. Fog patches at first. Good, occasionally very poor at first.

For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland

Valid Thursday 16 Jul 2026 at 1200 UTC until Friday 17 Jul 2026 at 0000 UTC

General situation: An area of high pressure will remain slow moving to the east of Shetland Waters

Forecast: North or northwest 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Mainly fair, but risk of fog patches at first. Good, occasionally very poor.

Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Friday 17 Jul until 1200 UTC on Friday 17 Jul: Northerly or northwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in the far east. Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate. Mainly fair. Good.


Channel Islands

24 hour forecast: Northeasterly 2 to 4, locally 5 until dusk, with gusts to 30kt possible near thunderstorms, locally variable 1 to 3 for a time this evening. Smooth to slight. Showers, locally heavy and thundery, mainly in the far south of the area, likely dying out by dusk. Good, locally moderate or perhaps poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northwest 2 to 4, perhaps locally variable 1 to 2, backing westerly by dusk, veering northerly on Saturday. Smooth, locally slight at times. Fair. Good.