Inshore waters forecast and strong winds

General situation

High pressure will maintain mainly light or moderate breezes and fair weather for most areas. However thundery showers and fog will spread into the southwest this evening and into tomorrow, as the high drifts east over the North Sea. Then strong winds are expected over the southern waters.

Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney

24 hour forecast: West or northwest becoming variable, 2 to 4. Smooth or slight, but moderate, occasionally rough at first, in northwest. Showers at first in north. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 4 or less, becoming east or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later near Rattray Head. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Moray Firth. Fair. Good.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed

24 hour forecast: Variable, mainly east or northeast, becoming southeast later, 2 to 4. Smooth occasionally slight. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southeast 2 to 4, increasing 5 or 6. Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate. Fair. Good.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby

24 hour forecast: North or northeast 2 to 4, veering east or southeast 4. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or southeast 4, increasing 5. Slight, occasionally smooth at first, becoming moderate later. Showers later. Good.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point

24 hour forecast: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast, veering east later, 4 or 5. Smooth becoming slight. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East veering southeast, 4 or 5. Slight, becoming moderate later. Showers later. Good.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less, becoming northeasterly 4 or 5. Smooth becoming slight, occasionally moderate later in southeast. Showers. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northeasterly 4 to 6, veering easterly or southeasterly 4 or 5. Slight or moderate. Showers at first. Good.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less, becoming easterly or northeasterly 4 or 5. Smooth, becoming mainly slight later. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, veering southeasterly 2 to 4. Slight or moderate. Showers in west. Good.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis

24 hour forecast: East or southeast 2 to 4, backing northeast, veering east later, 4 or 5. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East 4 to 6, veering southwest 2 or 3. Slight, occasionally moderate. Showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor.

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly

24 hour forecast: East or northeast 2 to 4, veering east or southeast 4 or 5. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west. Thundery showers developing, fog patches later in far west. Good, occasionally poor, but very poor later in far west.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or southeast 4 or 5, becoming variable, then southwest, 2 to 4. Slight occasionally moderate. Thundery showers, fog banks. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

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

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less, becoming east or northeast 4 or 5, veering east or southeast 4 to 6 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east. Thundery showers later. Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or southeast 4 to 6, decreasing 2 to 4, veering south later. Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight. Thundery showers, fog banks in west. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in west.

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

24 hour forecast: North or northwest 2 to 4, veering east or northeast 4 to 6. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in north. Thundery showers later in south. Good, occasionally poor later in south.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or northeast 4 to 6, veering south or southeast 3 or 4. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in north. Thundery showers, fog banks in southwest. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in southwest.

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

24 hour forecast: North or northwest 2 to 4, veering east or northeast 4 to 6. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or northeast 4 to 6, veering southeast 3 or 4 later. Smooth or slight. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Isle of Man

24 hour forecast: Variable, 3 or less, settling north or northwest 3 to 5, veering east or northeast later. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or southeast, 4 or 5, increasing 5 or 6 for a time. Slight or moderate. Fair, then showers later. Good, occasionally moderate or poor later.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough

24 hour forecast: North or northwest, veering east, 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in north and later in south. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East 3 to 5, veering southeast 4 or 5. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate. Showers later. Good, occasionally moderate later.

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

24 hour forecast: Northerly or northwesterly 2 to 4, veering northeasterly 4 to 6. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, veering southeasterly 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in west. Showers later. Good, occasionally moderate later.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point

24 hour forecast: North or northwest 3 or 4, veering northeast 3 to 5, then east 3 or 4 later. Slight or moderate. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East 3 or 4, veering southeast 4 to 6. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in sheltered east. Fair. Good.

The Minch

24 hour forecast: West or northwest 2 to 4, veering east or northeast 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near entrances. Showers at first. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or northeast 2 to 4, veering southeast 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near south entrance. Fair. Good.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath

24 hour forecast: West or northwest 2 to 4, veering east or northeast 3 to 5. Moderate, occasionally rough at first in northwest, becoming slight later in southeast. Showers at first. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or northeast 2 to 4, veering southeast 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Fair. Good.

Shetland Isles - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: West 5 or 6 decreasing 3 or 4. Rough at first in north and west, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later in east. Showers. Good.

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

Valid Tuesday 26 May 2026 at 1200 UTC until Wednesday 27 May 2026 at 0000 UTC

General situation: High pressure centred west of mainland Scotland brings a westerly flow over Shetland Waters.

Forecast: Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in north. Moderate or rough, but slight east of shetland Mainly fair Good.

Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Wednesday 27 May until 1200 UTC on Wednesday 27 May: Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later in south. Moderate, but slight east of shetland, rough in north at first Mainly fair Good

Channel Islands

24 hour forecast: Easterly 2 to 4. Smooth, locally slight, with a low swell. Fair or fine. Good or very good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East to southeast 2 to 4, occasionally 5 mid-channel, becoming variable 1 to 3 overnight. Smooth or slight, with a low swell, locally moderate in the north of the area later. A risk of isolated thundery showers near the french coast on Wednesday afternoon risk of mist or fog patches in the west of the area overnight. Good, perhaps locally moderate to very poor at times.