Inshore waters forecast and strong winds

General situation

A slack area of low pressure will move south over the Continent, allowing a weak ridge of high pressure to follow from the north today. Rain or showers will affect the coastal waters, with fog in the southeast and thundery showers possible in the Bristol Channel. Then a cold northerly flow is expected tomorrow, before another high builds in the north on Wednesday.

Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in north, becoming variable 2 to 4, then northwesterly 4 to 6. Smooth or slight in southeast, moderate in northwest. Rain or showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northwesterly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 2 to 4 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in inner Moray Firth and rough in northwest. Showers. Good.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: West or southwest becoming variable, 2 to 4, then northwest 4 to 6 later. Smooth or slight. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in north. Showers. Good.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby

24 hour forecast: Variable 2 to 4. Slight, occasionally smooth later. Showers. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 4 to 6, veering east 3 or 4 later. Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate. Showers. Good.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point

24 hour forecast: Northeast 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less. Slight, occasionally smooth later. Showers. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 3 or less, becoming northeast 4 to 6. Smooth or slight becoming moderate. Showers. Good.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland

24 hour forecast: Variable 4 or less, becoming northeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later in east. Smooth or slight. Rain with fog banks, fair later. Moderate to very poor, becoming good later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northeasterly 4 or 5, but 2 or 3 at first in west, occasionally 6 later in east. Smooth or slight, becoming moderate, occasionally rough later in east. Showers later. Good.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less, becoming northeasterly 3 to 5. Smooth, becoming slight later except in west. Showers and fog patches, fair later. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate, then rough later in northeast. Occasional rain or showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less, becoming northwest, veering northeast later, 3 or 4. Smooth. Showers and fog patches, rain later. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northeast 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less, then northeast 4 or 5 later. Smooth becoming slight, occasionally moderate later. Occasional rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly

24 hour forecast: Variable 4 or less, becoming northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5 later. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in far west. Occasional rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, but moderate in far west. Occasional rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel

24 hour forecast: Variable 4 or less, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west. Rain or showers, perhaps thundery. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

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

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

24 hour forecast: Northeast 3 or 4, backing north or northwest 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in southwest. Showers. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North or northwest 3 to 5, veering east or northeast 4 to 6 later. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west. Occasional rain or showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway

24 hour forecast: Northeast backing northwest, becoming variable for a time, 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Showers. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North or northwest 2 to 4, veering east 4 to 6. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near great orme head and Mull of Galloway. Occasional rain or showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Isle of Man

24 hour forecast: North or northwest 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Mainly fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northwest 3 or 4, increasing north or northeast 4 or 5, veering east or southeast 4 or 5 occasionally 6 later. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate. Mainly fair. Good.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough

24 hour forecast: North or northwest 2 to 4. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in far northwest. Showers. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North or northwest 3 or 4, veering east or southeast 4 or 5. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in south and east. Showers. Good.

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

24 hour forecast: Westerly or northwesterly 3 or 4. Smooth or slight. Showers. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northwesterly 3 or 4 veering northeasterly 4 or 5, then easterly 3 to 5 later. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in North Channel. Showers. Good.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: West or northwest 3 or 4, veering north 4 to 6 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in sheltered southeast. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North 4 to 6, veering east or southeast 2 to 4 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in sheltered east. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

The Minch - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: West or southwest 4 or 5, veering north 5 or 6. Smooth or slight, but moderate in north. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North 5 or 6, becoming variable 3 or less. Slight or moderate, becoming smooth except in north. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: West or southwest 4 or 5, veering north 5 or 6. Moderate, but slight in southeast. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North 5 or 6, becoming variable 3 or less. Moderate, occasionally slight in southeast and rough in north. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Shetland Isles - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic, becoming northwest later, 4 to 6. Moderate, but slight in southeast, becoming rough later in north and west. Occasional rain or sleet, wintry showers later. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

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

Valid Monday 04 May 2026 at 0600 UTC until Monday 04 May 2026 at 1800 UTC

General situation: A trough moves across Shetland Waters on Monday morning followed by a north or northwesterly airflow.

Forecast: Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming north or northwest 3 to 5 Moderate, but slight just southeast of shetland Rain or showers, occasionally wintry Moderate or good, occasionally poor

Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Monday 04 May until 0600 UTC on Tuesday 05 May: North or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later Moderate, becoming rough later in northwest Wintry showers Good, occasionally poor

Channel Islands

24 hour forecast: North 2 to 3, locally variable 1 to 2 until midday, increasing 3 to 4 this afternoon. Smooth, locally slight at times. Risk of mist patches near the french coast at first risk of isolated thundery showers near the normandy coast this afternoon rain spreading northwards overnight. Good, perhaps locally poor at times, becoming moderate, or poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North to northeast 3 to 4, locally 2 at times, increasing 4 to 5 later. Smooth, occasionally slight, increasing slight to moderate later. Rain or showers, perhaps locally heavy in the south, clearing southwards by dusk. Moderate, locally poor at first, becoming good.