Inshore waters forecast and strong winds

General situation

A cold northerly showery flow will weaken as a transient ridge of high pressure moves east across the British Isles bringing a brief spell of quieter weather on Friday, before a band of rain and strong southwesterly winds moves east over the region later Friday and into Saturday.

Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northwest 2 to 4, backing southwest 5 to 7. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in northwest. Rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 4 to 6, veering west, backing southwest later, 3 or 4. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in northwest, then smooth in Moray Firth. Rain, showers later. Good, occasionally poor.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northwest 4 or 5, backing southwest 5 or 6. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Firth of Forth. Showers then occasional rain. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 5 or 6, veering northwest 3 or 4, backing southwest 2 to 4 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Firth of Forth, becoming smooth or slight. Rain for a time. Good, occasionally poor.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: North 3 or 4, backing southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later. Moderate, occasionally slight later. Showers at first. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 4 to 6, veering west 4 or 5, backing southwest 2 or 3 later. Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later. Rain for a time. Good, occasionally poor.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: North 4 or 5, backing northwest 3 or 4, then southwest 5 or 6 later. Moderate, occasionally slight. Showers, fair later. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 2 to 4 later. Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later. Rain for a time, fog patches later. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in Thames estuary, backing southwesterly 3 to 5. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in southeast, becoming smooth or slight later. Showers, perhaps thundery at first, fair later. Good, occasionally poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwesterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7, backing southerly 4 to 6 later. Smooth or slight, becoming moderate or rough in east. Fair then rain, fog patches later. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northwesterly 5 to 7, veering northeasterly, becoming variable, then southwesterly later, 2 to 4. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in east, becoming smooth or slight. Showers in east, perhaps thundery at first, fair later. Good, occasionally poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwesterly 2 to 4, backing southerly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later. Smooth or slight becoming moderate or rough. Fair then rain at times. Good, occasionally poor.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: North 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less, then southwest 3 to 5 later. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 3 to 5, backing south 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 2 to 4 later. Smooth or slight becoming moderate or rough. Fair then rain at times. Good, occasionally poor.

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: North 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less, then southwest 4 to 6 later. Smooth or slight, but moderate in west. Showers in west. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering northwest, backing southwest later, 3 to 5. Smooth at first in east, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time. Rain at times. Good, occasionally poor.

Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: North 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less, then southwest 4 to 6 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Bristol Channel. Showers, fair later. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 4 to 6, backing south 5 to 7, veering northwest 4 or 5, then backing southwest 3 or 4 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Bristol Channel and rough in west. Rain at times. Good, occasionally poor.

St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: North 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less, then southwest 5 to 7 later. Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight for a time. Showers, fair later. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 5 to 7, veering northwest 3 to 5, backing south 2 to 4 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in west and smooth later in northeast. Rain at times. Good, occasionally poor.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: North 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less, then southwest 4 to 6 later. Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate. Showers, fair later. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, veering west 3 or 4, backing southwest 2 to 4 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first, becoming smooth or slight. Rain at times, showers later. Good, occasionally poor.

Isle of Man - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: North 2 to 4, backing west or southwest, increasing 5 to 7 later. Smooth or slight, becoming moderate occasionally rough later. Fair, rain later. Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 2 to 4, backing south or southwest later. Moderate occasionally rough, falling slight later. Rain at first and again later. Good, occasionally poor.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: North backing southwest, 2 to 4, increasing 5 to 7 later. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later. Showers, rain later. Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 or 5, backing south 2 to 4 later. Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight except in north. Rain then showers. Good, occasionally poor at first.

Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northerly 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less, then southwesterly 4 to 6 later. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later. Showers, rain later. Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwesterly 4 to 6 veering westerly 3 or 4, backing southerly 2 to 4 later. Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later. Rain then showers. Good, occasionally poor at first.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less, becoming southwest, then cyclonic later, 5 to 7. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in southeast, becoming rough in west. Showers then rain. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming west or northwest 4 or 5, backing south 3 or 4 later. Slight or moderate, but rough at first in west. Rain then showers. Good, occasionally poor at first.

The Minch - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less, becoming southwest 6 or 7, perhaps gale 8 later, then cyclonic 4 to 6. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth south of skye, becoming moderate or rough. Rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming west, backing south later, 3 or 4. Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate, then smooth in central area. Rain then showers. Good, occasionally poor at first.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less, becoming southwest 6 or 7, perhaps gale 8 later, then cyclonic 4 to 6. Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough. Rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming west, backing south later, 3 or 4. Moderate, occasionally rough at first. Rain then showers. Good, occasionally poor at first.

Shetland Isles - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northwest 4 or 5, backing southwest 6 or 7 for a time. Moderate, occasionally slight at first in sheltered south, becoming rough except in east. Showers, rain for a time. Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.

For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland - Strong wind warning

Valid Friday 21 Nov 2025 at 0000 UTC until Friday 21 Nov 2025 at 1200 UTC

General situation: A ridge passes east over Shetland waters Friday morning. Atlantic troughs follow from the west from Friday afternoon.

Forecast: Northwest, backing west 3 to 5, later backing southwest 5 or 6 Moderate, occasionally rough, but slight in lee shelter of shetland Mainly fair, then rain later Good occasionally moderate later

Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Friday 21 Nov until 0000 UTC on Saturday 22 Nov: Southwest 5 to 7, later veering westerly 5 or 6 in west Moderate, becoming rough, but moderate in lee shelter of shetland Rain Good occasionally moderate

Channel Islands - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northerly 5 to 6, veering north to northeast 4 to 5 by Friday morning, decreasing 3 to 4 by dusk, then backing southwest 3 to 4 later. Slight to moderate, decreasing smooth or slight. Occasional rain or hail showers, dying out by midday. Good or very good, locally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 3 to 4, increasing 5 to 6 by dawn Saturday, backing south 6 to 7 by midday, then veering southwest to west 3 to 4 later. Smooth or slight, increasing slight to moderate, and locally rather rough to rough in the northwest later. Occasional rain. Good or very good, locally moderate or perhaps poor.