Inshore waters forecast and strong winds

General situation

A complex area of low pressure in the Southwest Approaches will gradually transfer northeast over the United Kingdom over the next couple of days. This will bring occasional rain or showers moving northwards to all waters, some of which will be heavy and thundery.

Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney

24 hour forecast: East or southeast 3 to 5. Slight, becoming moderate at times in east. Occasional drizzle later. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East 3 to 5, backing northeast, then north later, 4 to 6. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in east. Rain at times. Moderate or poor, occasionally good at first.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed

24 hour forecast: East or northeast 3 or 4, occasionally 2 at first and 5 later. Slight or moderate. Rain later. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northeast backing northwest, 3 to 5. Moderate, occasionally slight in south. Rain at times, perhaps thundery, fog patches until later. Moderate to very poor, becoming moderate or good later.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby

24 hour forecast: East or northeast, becoming cyclonic later, 2 to 4, increasing 5 at times later. Slight becoming mainly moderate. Rain later, perhaps thundery. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Cyclonic 2 to 4, becoming west or northwest 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Rain, perhaps thundery, fog patches at first. Moderate to very poor, becoming moderate or good later.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point

24 hour forecast: East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 later. Slight or moderate. Fair then thundery rain. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Cyclonic 2 to 4, becoming southwest 5 or 6, decreasing 4 at times later. Slight or moderate. Rain or thundery showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Easterly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4, increasing 4 or 5 later, occasionally 6 later in south. Slight occasionally moderate. Fair then thundery rain or showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southwesterly 5 to 7. Slight or moderate. Thundery rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less, then southwesterly 4 to 6 later. Slight. Thundery rain or showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 near North Foreland. Slight becoming moderate. Showers, perhaps thundery later. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: East or southeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less, then southwest 4 or 5 later. Slight. Thundery rain then showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or southwest 4 to 6. Slight or moderate. Showers, perhaps thundery later. Good, occasionally poor later.

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

24 hour forecast: East 4 to 6, veering south 2 to 4, then southwest 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Thundery rain then showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 for a time. Slight or moderate. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

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

24 hour forecast: Easterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in west, becoming variable, then southwesterly later, 2 to 4. Slight, occasionally smooth in east and moderate in far west. Thundery rain or showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in east. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in east. Showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor.

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

24 hour forecast: East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 later. Smooth or slight. Thundery rain or showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Cyclonic 2 to 4, becoming west or northwest, then backing southwest later, 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, becoming moderate near St Davids Head. Thundery rain then showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

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

24 hour forecast: Easterly or northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in north, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 later, increasing 5 at times later in north. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first near Mull of Galloway. Fair then thundery rain. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later. Thundery rain then showers. Good, occasionally poor at first.

Isle of Man

24 hour forecast: East or northeast, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5. Slight, becoming smooth or slight. Fair then occasional rain. Good occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Cyclonic 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, decreasing 2 or 3 later. Smooth or slight, becoming slight occasionally moderate for a time later. Rain or showers, becoming mainly fair later. Good, occasionally poor until later.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough

24 hour forecast: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time later in northeast. Smooth or slight. Rain later, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northerly or northeasterly backing westerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later. Rain at first. Good, occasionally poor at first.

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

24 hour forecast: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time later in North Channel. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Mull of Galloway. Showers, rain later, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, backing westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later. Rain at first. Good, occasionally poor at first.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point

24 hour forecast: East or northeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first then decreasing 2 at times. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in northwest. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or northeast 2 to 4, backing north or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 near Mull of Kintyre. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate for a time in west. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

The Minch

24 hour forecast: Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly 3 to 5 later in north. Smooth or slight. Showers at first. Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 2 to 4 at first in south, otherwise easterly backing northerly or northeasterly, 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in north. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath

24 hour forecast: Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5 later. Slight, occasionally smooth near Ardnamurchan Point. Showers at first. Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North or northeast 3 to 5. Slight, becoming moderate at times in south and later in north. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Shetland Isles

24 hour forecast: Southeast 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Mainly fair, fog patches later. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

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

Valid Thursday 27 Aug 2026 at 0000 UTC until Thursday 27 Aug 2026 at 1200 UTC

General situation: An area of high pressure over Scandinavia and low pressure developing over southern UK on Thursday will maintain an east or southeasterly airflow over Shetland Waters.

Forecast: Southeast 3 to 5. Mainly slight, occasionally moderate later in south and west. Fair. Moderate or good.

Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Thursday 27 Aug until 0000 UTC on Friday 28 Aug: Southeast 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Mainly fair, fog patches later. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Channel Islands - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: East to southeast 4 to 5, locally 6 with gusts to 35kt at first, becoming variable 1 to 3 by late morning, then becoming west 3 to 4 later. Smooth to slight, perhaps locally moderate at first. Thundery showers, locally heavy with a risk of hail, clearing by dawn isolated showers, perhaps heavy with thunder, returning midday. Good, occasionally moderate to poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West to southwest 3 to 4, locally variable 1 to 2 in the south of the area from midday, locally 5 mid-channel for a time Friday afternoon. Smooth to slight. Rain and showers, perhaps thundery at first. Good, locally moderate or perhaps poor.