Inshore waters forecast and strong winds

General situation

A complex area of Atlantic low pressure running to the northwest of the United Kingdom will maintain a blustery southwesterly flow on Thursday, with squally showers and gales, but severe gales for some waters.

Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 5 at times later. Rough or very rough north and west of Orkney, elsewhere moderate or rough. Rain, then wintry showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later, decreasing 4 at times later in south. Rough or very rough to the north and west of Orkney, slight or moderate in Moray Firth, moderate or rough elsewhere. Squally wintry showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first near Rattray Head. Occasional rain, then squally showers later. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5, veering west later. Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate. Wintry showers. Good, occasionally poor at first.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times, occasionally 4 for a time. Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time. Fair at first, then rain or showers, squally at times. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5, veering west or northwest later. Slight or moderate, becoming mainly slight. Wintry showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 at times later. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough for a time offshore. Rain for a time. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, decreasing 3 or 4, veering northwest 3 or 4 later. Slight or moderate, becoming mainly slight. Showers. Good.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later in south, decreasing 5 or 6 later. Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time until later. Rain later. Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwesterly 5 or 6, decreasing 3 to 5, veering westerly or northwesterly 2 to 4. Slight or moderate, becoming mainly slight, occasionally smooth later. Rain, then showers. Good, occasionally poor at first.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later. Moderate, becoming moderate or rough. Rain later. Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, veering westerly or northwesterly 2 to 4 later. Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later. Rain then showers. Good, occasionally poor at first.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering west 5 to 7 later. Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time. Showers, rain later. Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or southwest 4 to 6, veering west or northwest 3 to 5. Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later. Rain then showers. Good, occasionally poor at first.

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

24 hour forecast: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering westerly 5 to 7 later. Moderate or rough at first in east, otherwise rough or very rough, occasionally high later near Isles of Scilly. Showers, then rain later. Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Westerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, veering northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later in west. Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in east and high near Isles of Scilly, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west and slight in east. Squally showers. Moderate or good.

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

24 hour forecast: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 in east, veering westerly 5 to 7 later, occasionally gale 8 until later. Rough or very rough in west, but moderate or rough in east. Showers, rain for a time. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Westerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, veering northwesterly 3 to 5 later. Rain or very rough in west, moderate or rough in east, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally slight later in east. Squally showers. Moderate or good.

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

24 hour forecast: Southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 for a time. Rough or very rough, but moderate east of Anglesey,. Showers, rain for a time. Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or southwest 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 to 6, veering northwesterly 3 to 5 later. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in south, occasionally slight later in north. Wintry showers. Moderate or good.

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

24 hour forecast: Southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, veering west 5 or 6 for a time later. Rain or very rough, becoming moderate or rough for a time. Rain, then wintry showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west or northwest 3 to 5. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming slight or moderate. Showers. Moderate or good.

Isle of Man - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southwest 7 to gale 8, veering west or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later. Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later. Mainly fair, rain for a time, then showers. Good, occasionally poor for a time.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or southwest 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering west or northwest 3 to 5 later. Rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming slight or moderate later. Showers. Moderate or good.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far north,. Occasional rain, then wintry showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering mainly west 3 to 5. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in north, becoming slight or moderate in east. Wintry showers. Moderate or good.

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

24 hour forecast: Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times. Slight at times north of arran, elsewhere moderate or rough. Rain, then wintry showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5. Slight or moderate, occasionally moderate near Mull of Kintyre, and smooth or slight east and north of arran. Wintry showers. Moderate or good.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southwesterly veering westerly later, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first and for a time later,. Moderate or rough in sheltered east, otherwise very rough or high. Rain, then squally, wintry showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Westerly veering northwesterly 4 to 6, but 7 or gale 8 at first in south. Rough or very rough, occasionally high until later in west, and moderate in sheltered east. Squally showers, wintry at times. Good, occasionally poor.

The Minch - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southwesterly veering westerly later, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first and later. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough near entrances. Rain or squally showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Westerly veering northwesterly for a time, 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first near entrances, becoming slight or moderate in central areas. Rain or squally, wintry showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southwesterly veering westerly later, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first and later. Very rough or high, occasionally rough later near Sutherland. Rain or squally showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Westerly veering northwesterly for a time, 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later. Very rough or high, occasionally rough near Sutherland. Rain or squally, wintry showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Shetland Isles - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: South or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first. Very rough or high, occasionally rough in lee shelter east of Shetland. Rain, then wintry showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

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

Valid Thursday 12 Mar 2026 at 0600 UTC until Thursday 12 Mar 2026 at 1800 UTC

General situation: Deep low complex to the west and northwest of your locations, bringing a gale, initially severe gale, south to southwest flow.

Forecast: South or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally gale 9 at first Very rough occasionally high, but rough in lee shelter of shetland Rain occasionally heavy, then showers Moderate or good, occasionally poor

Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Thursday 12 Mar until 0600 UTC on Friday 13 Mar: South or southwest 6 to gale 8 Very rough occasionally high, but rough in lee shelter of shetland Showers, occasionally wintry later Good, occasionally moderate or poor

Channel Islands - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: South to southwest 5 to 6, with gusts to 35kt, increasing 7 in the northwest of the area by midday, further increasing 6 to gale 8 in the evening, veering southwest to west 5 to 7 after midnight. Rather rough to rough, occasionally slight to moderate with a moderate swell in the southeast at first, increasing very rough in the northwest later. Isolated showers at first occasional rain from afternoon, becoming persistent and locally heavy by midnight, clearing to showers soon after dawn, perhaps locally heavy. Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West 5 to 6, decreasing 4 to 5 towards dusk, veering northwest later. Rough to very rough, decreasing rather rough to rough by midday and moderate with a moderate swell later. Occasional showers, risk locally heavy with hail, dying out soon after dawn. Good, occasionally moderate, locally poor.