Inshore waters forecast and strong winds

General situation

High pressure centred near Shetland will drift westwards during the next couple of days, bringing mainly settled weather to the inshore waters. Winds will be mainly light or moderate for most northern waters, whilst further south a strong and cold east to northeasterly airflow will persist.

Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney

24 hour forecast: Southeasterly 3 to 5 at first in northwest, otherwise variable 2 to 4. Mainly moderate to the north and west of Orkney, but elsewhere smooth or slight. Mainly fair. Good, occasionally poor near shore.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 3 to 5 in north and also later in south. Slight or moderate to the north and west of Orkney, but elsewhere smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in east. Occasional drizzle. Good, occasionally poor.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less in north, but in south, easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first. Slight, occasionally moderate at first near Berwick upon Tweed. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 3 or less at first in north, otherwise northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5. Slight, occasionally smooth in Firth of Forth, becoming moderate at times later. Drizzle at times. Moderate or good.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby

24 hour forecast: East 3 to 5. Moderate, becoming slight at times. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East backing northeast, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later. Slight or moderate. Fair. Good.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: East or northeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first. Moderate. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or northeast 4 or 5. Moderate occasionally slight. Fair. Good.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Easterly or northeasterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first. Rough at first near east Norfolk, otherwise moderate. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northeasterly 4 to 6. Moderate, occasionally slight in Thames estuary and in far north. Fair. Good.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Easterly or northeasterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first. Moderate occasionally slight. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly or northeasterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later. Slight or moderate. Fair. Good.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: East or northeast 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first, then decreasing 4 at times near shore. Moderate, occasionally slight near shore. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later. Moderate, occasionally slight near shore. Fair. Good.

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

24 hour forecast: Easterly or northeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first. Rough becoming moderate, but occasionally rough in far southwest. Showers at first, mainly in west. Good, occasionally moderate at first in west.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly or northeasterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later near exposed headlands in south. Moderate, occasionally rough in southwest and also later elsewhere. Fair. Good.

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

24 hour forecast: Easterly or northeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 at times later. Rough at first near Lands End, otherwise slight or moderate. Showers at first near Lands End. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in Bristol Channel and near lundy, perhaps gale 8 later near north Devon. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later near Lands End. Fair. Good.

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

24 hour forecast: East or northeast 6 or 7, decreasing 4 to 6. Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in Cardigan Bay and caernarfon bay. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or northeast 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times near Anglesey. Smooth or slight in Cardigan Bay and caernarfon bay, but slight or moderate elsewhere. Fair. Good.

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

24 hour forecast: East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first. Slight, occasionally moderate until later in west, becoming smooth at times in east. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or northeast 4 to 6. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west. Fair. Good.

Isle of Man - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in south. Slight or moderate. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6. Slight or moderate. Fair. Good.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Easterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in south. Slight, occasionally moderate in south and far north. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in east. Slight, occasionally moderate in south. Fair. Good.

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

24 hour forecast: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Mull of Galloway and at first near Mull of Kintyre. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 near Mull of Galloway and later just south of arran and near Mull of Kintyre. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Mull of Galloway. Fair. Good.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Easterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first south of islay, becoming variable, mainly northeasterly, 2 to 4 in north. Smooth or slight east of islay and jura, otherwise slight or moderate. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5. Slight, occasionally smooth in east and moderate in west. Fair. Good.

The Minch

24 hour forecast: Variable 2 to 4. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first near northern entrance. Mainly fair. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath

24 hour forecast: Variable 2 to 4. Slight or moderate. Mainly fair. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Fair. Good.

Shetland Isles

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less, becoming west 3 to 5 later. Mainly slight to the east of Shetland, otherwise moderate. Fair. Good.

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

Valid Thursday 25 Dec 2025 at 1800 UTC until Friday 26 Dec 2025 at 0600 UTC

General situation: An area of high pressure will cover Shetland waters

Forecast: Variable 3 or less Moderate, but rough in west at first. slight east of shetland. Fair Good

Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Friday 26 Dec until 1800 UTC on Friday 26 Dec: Variable 3 or less, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5 Slight or moderate Fair Good

Channel Islands - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: East to northeast 5 to 6, occasionally 7 mid-channel at first, decreasing 4 to 5 by midnight, occasionally 6 in the north of the area from around dawn. Rather rough mid-channel, otherwise slight to moderate. Fair. Good or very good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: East to northeast 4 to 5, occasionally 6 in the north of the area. Slight to moderate, locally rather rough in the northwest of the area, increasing rough mid-channel by dusk Saturday. Mist or fog patches likely in the south of the area overnight. Good or very good, locally poor or very poor overnight.