Inshore waters forecast and strong winds
Issued by the Met Office at
Inshore waters forecast to 12 miles offshore
00:00 (UTC) on Wed 26 Aug 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 27 Aug 2026
General situation
An area of low pressure will move slowly northwards towards the southwest. This will maintain a mostly easterly flow and will bring occasional rain or thundery showers to southern waters and later to northern areas.
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney
24 hour forecast: East or southeast 3 to 5. Slight, occasionally smooth. Mainly fair. Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or southeast, backing northeast later in Moray Firth, 3 to 5. Slight, occasionally moderate in east. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed
24 hour forecast: East or southeast 3 to 5. Slight, occasionally smooth at first in north, becoming moderate at times later. Mainly fair. Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or southeast veering northeast later, 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor later.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby
24 hour forecast: East or southeast 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Mainly fair. Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or southeast becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Showers, thundery rain later. Good, occasionally poor later.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point
24 hour forecast: East or southeast 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Showers later. Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or southeast becoming cyclonic, then south later, 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Showers, thundery at times. Good, occasionally poor.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland
24 hour forecast: Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5. Slight, occasionally moderate until later in north. Thundery rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly or southeasterly, veering southerly later, 3 to 5. Slight, occasionally moderate later in north. Thundery rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill
24 hour forecast: Easterly or northeasterly becoming variable for a time, 2 to 4, increasing 4 or 5 later. Smooth or slight. Thundery rain or showers for a time. Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly veering southwesterly later, 3 to 5. Smooth or slight. Thundery rain for a time. Good, occasionally poor.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis
24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5 later. Smooth or slight. Showers, perhaps thundery, becoming mainly fair later. Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or northeast veering southwest, 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later. Thundery rain for a time. Good, occasionally poor.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly
24 hour forecast: South or southwest 2 to 4, backing southeast 3 or 4, then east or northeast 3 to 5 later. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later in west. Showers, perhaps thundery, becoming mainly fair later. Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or northeast veering south or southwest, 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Thundery rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel
24 hour forecast: Cyclonic becoming southerly or southeasterly 2 to 4, backing easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 2 later in east. Smooth or slight. Thundery rain or showers, becoming mainly fair for a time later. Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly or northeasterly becoming cyclonic, then southwesterly later, 3 to 5. Slight, occasionally smooth in east, becoming slight or moderate in west. Thundery rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel
24 hour forecast: East or southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less, then east or northeast, 3 or 4 later. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first north of Anglesey. Showers, becoming thundery at times. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 later. Smooth or slight. Thundery rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: East or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first. Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight. Rain or showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or northeast 3 to 5, backing north later. Smooth or slight. Occasional rain or showers later, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor later.
Isle of Man - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: East 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, decreasing 3 or 4 later. Slight, occasionally moderate at first. Occasional rain, becoming mainly fair later. Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or northeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in north, backing north 2 to 4 later. Mainly slight. Mainly fair, then rain later. Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough
24 hour forecast: East or southeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first and 2 later. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in south. Occasional rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: East backing north or northeast, 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Fair, occasional rain or showers later, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel
24 hour forecast: Easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first and 2 later. Smooth or slight. Occasional rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly 3 or 4, backing northerly or northeasterly 2 to 4 later. Smooth or slight. Fair, occasional rain or showers later, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: East or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing east or northeast 3 to 5 later. Slight or moderate in west, smooth or slight in east. Fair then occasional rain or showers. Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: East backing north or northeast, 3 to 5. Smooth or slight. Occasional rain then showers. Good, occasionally moderate.
The Minch
24 hour forecast: Easterly or southeasterly, then backing easterly or northeasterly later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in far south and in far north. Smooth or slight. Showers later. Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly or northeasterly becoming variable at times, 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Occasional rain. Good, occasionally moderate.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath
24 hour forecast: Easterly or southeasterly, then backing easterly or northeasterly later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in far south and in far north. Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight near Sutherland. Showers later. Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly or northeasterly becoming variable at times, 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Occasional rain. Good, occasionally moderate.
Shetland Isles
24 hour forecast: East or southeast 2 to 4. Moderate at first in west, otherwise smooth or slight. Fair. Moderate or good.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland
Valid Wednesday 26 Aug 2026 at 0000 UTC until Wednesday 26 Aug 2026 at 1200 UTC
General situation: A large area of high pressure will be centred over Scandinavia on Wednesday.
Forecast: East or southeast 2 to 4. Slight or smooth, but moderate at first in west. Fair. Moderate or good.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Wednesday 26 Aug until 0000 UTC on Thursday 27 Aug: East or southeast 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Fair. Moderate or good.
Channel Islands - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Southwest 2 to 4, backing southeast to east 3 to 4 by midday, increasing 4 to 5 by dusk, perhaps locally 6 later. Smooth or slight. Thundery showers developing by mid-afternoon. Good, occasionally moderate to poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: East 4 to 5, veering southwest by dawn, locally 3 after midday. Smooth or slight, perhaps locally moderate in the far northwest later. Thundery showers at first and developing again after midday. Good, occasionally moderate to poor.