Inshore waters forecast and strong winds

General situation

An area of low pressure will move in from the Atlantic, becoming centred over northwestern parts of the British Isles over the next couple of days. This will bring rain or showers to many areas, more so in the north and west.

Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney

24 hour forecast: Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5. Slight or moderate to the west and north of Orkney, but elsewhere smooth or slight. Fair then occasional rain. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly backing northeasterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 in south. Slight or moderate. Rain, perhaps thundery later, fog patches developing. Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed

24 hour forecast: Easterly or southeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in south and later in north. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later. Occasional rain. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4. Slight or moderate. Thundery rain or showers, fog patches developing. Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby

24 hour forecast: East or southeast 2 to 4, increasing 4 or 5 for a time. Slight, occasionally moderate later. Occasional rain or showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southeast veering south or southwest, 2 to 4. Slight, occasionally moderate at first. Thundery showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point

24 hour forecast: East or northeast 3 to 5, veering southeast 2 to 4 later. Slight, occasionally moderate in north. Showers later. Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southeast becoming variable, 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5 later. Slight, occasionally moderate at first in north. Showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland

24 hour forecast: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 later. Slight, occasionally smooth later in south. Showers later. Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6. Slight, occasionally smooth at first in south, becoming moderate at times in east. Mainly fair. Good.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill

24 hour forecast: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 later. Slight occasionally smooth. Mainly fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Cyclonic 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in east. Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate. Mainly fair. Good.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis

24 hour forecast: Easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in east, becoming variable 3 or less, then southwesterly 3 or 4 later. Slight, occasionally smooth near shore. Showers later in west. Good, occasionally moderate later in west.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 3 at first. Slight becoming slight or moderate. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly

24 hour forecast: Variable becoming south or southwest, 2 to 4, increasing 4 or 5 later. Slight occasionally moderate. Showers later. Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest, veering west or northwest later, 4 or 5. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far west. Showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel

24 hour forecast: East or southeast becoming variable, 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5 later. Slight, occasionally smooth in east and moderate later in west. Fair then showers. Good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 3 to 5, veering west or northwest 4 or 5 later. Smooth or slight until later in east, otherwise slight or moderate. Showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor.

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

24 hour forecast: East or southeast becoming variable, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first near Anglesey, becoming south 3 to 5 later. Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later near St Davids Head. Fair then rain or showers, perhaps thundery later, fog patches later. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 near Anglesey, veering west or northwest 4 to 6 later. Slight, occasionally moderate in west. Showers, perhaps thundery, fog patches at first. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

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

24 hour forecast: Easterly or southeasterly becoming cyclonic for a time, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north. Smooth or slight. Showers, thundery rain later. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southeasterly veering southwesterly, 3 to 5, then veering westerly 4 to 6 later. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later. Showers, perhaps thundery, fog patches at first in north. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first in north.

Isle of Man

24 hour forecast: East or northeast, veering east or southeast later, 3 to 5. Mainly slight. Occasional rain, showers later, perhaps thundery. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or southeast, veering west later, 3 to 5. Slight, occasionally moderate later. Thundery showers, fog patches for a time. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time, occasionally 6 later in south. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far north. Rain at times, thundery later, fog patches later in south. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later, but very poor later in south.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southerly or southeasterly, veering southwesterly later, 3 to 5, but becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time in north. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in far northwest. Thundery rain or showers, fog patches at first. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first and poor later.

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 in south, veering easterly or southeasterly later. Smooth or slight. Occasional rain, thundery later. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly or southeasterly veering southerly, then westerly or southwesterly later, 3 to 5. Smooth or slight. Thundery rain or showers, fog patches at first. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first and poor later.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: East or northeast, veering east or southeast later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west. Rain at times, perhaps thundery later. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 later. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far west. Rain or showers, perhaps thundery. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

The Minch - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north. Slight or moderate in north, otherwise smooth or slight. Rain at times. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north, becoming variable 2 to 4 in southeast. Slight or moderate in north and west, smooth or slight in south and east. Rain at times, perhaps thundery. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time in north. Smooth or slight at first between barra and canna, otherwise slight or moderate. Rain at times. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north, becoming variable 3 or less in far south. Slight or moderate, becoming rough at times to the west of the Outer Hebrides. Rain at times, perhaps thundery. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Shetland Isles

24 hour forecast: West 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less, then east or northeast 2 to 4 later. Slight or moderate. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate later.

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

Valid Monday 03 Aug 2026 at 0600 UTC until Monday 03 Aug 2026 at 1800 UTC

General situation: A ridge of high pressure over Shetland Waters at first. Then low-pressure pushing northeast over the UK on Monday will develop an easterly flow.

Forecast: Westerly 4 or 5 at first in north. otherwise variable 2 to 4. Slight or moderate, but smooth in shelter just east of shetland. Showers. Good.

Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Monday 03 Aug until 0600 UTC on Tuesday 04 Aug: Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 or 4. Slight or moderate, but smooth in shelter just east of shetland. Rain or showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Channel Islands

24 hour forecast: Northeast or variable 1 to 3, becoming west to northwest 2 to 4 around midday, backing southwest later. Smooth, locally slight. Risk of mist patches isolated showers in the west later. Good or very good, perhaps locally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 3 to 4, locally variable 1 to 2 from late morning, increasing 4 to 5 by midnight. Smooth to slight, increasing slight to moderate by midnight, perhaps locally rather rough later. Isolated showers risk of mist patches. Good, perhaps locally poor.