Inshore waters forecast and strong winds
Issued by the Met Office at
Inshore waters forecast to 12 miles offshore
12:00 (UTC) on Sat 23 May 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Sun 24 May 2026
General situation
High pressure will build across the United Kingdom through the weekend bringing fine and increasingly warm weather to most areas. However fog patches will affect some western waters and a southwesterly flow across north and west Scotland will bring some rain or drizzle at times.
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later in northwest, becoming variable 2 to 4 near aberdeenshire and later in north. Slight, occasionally moderate in north and smooth in Moray Firth. Occasional rain or drizzle in north. Good, occasionally poor in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 2 to 4 at first in north and near aberdeenshire, otherwise southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in northwest. Slight or moderate in north, smooth or slight in south. Rain or drizzle at times mainly in north. Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed
24 hour forecast: Southwesterly 3 to 5, but becoming variable 2 to 4 at times in far north and in far south. Slight, occasionally smooth in south. Fair. Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times in far south. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby
24 hour forecast: Variable, becoming southwest for a time, 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable, becoming southwest for a time, 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point
24 hour forecast: Variable 2 to 4. Smooth. Fair. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable, becoming southeast for a time, 2 to 4. Smooth occasionally slight. Mainly fair. Moderate or good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland
24 hour forecast: Variable 2 to 4. Smooth. Fair. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 2 to 4. Smooth. Mainly fair. Moderate or good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill
24 hour forecast: Variable 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Mainly fair. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 2 to 4. Smooth, occasionally slight in west. Mainly fair. Moderate or good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis
24 hour forecast: West or southwest veering north or northwest, 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less later. Smooth or slight. Mainly fair. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 3 or less, becoming east or southeast 3 or 4 later. Smooth or slight. Mainly fair. Moderate or good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly
24 hour forecast: Variable, becoming north or northeast for a time, 2 to 4. Slight, occasionally smooth in lyme bay and moderate in west. Fog patches in west. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in west.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable becoming east or northeast, 2 to 4. Smooth or slight in east, slight or moderate in west. Mainly fair. Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first in west.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel
24 hour forecast: Westerly 4 or 5 at first in Bristol Channel, otherwise variable, becoming northeasterly in south, 2 to 4. Slight, occasionally moderate in west and smooth later in east. Fog patches. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable mainly easterly or northeasterly, 2 to 4. Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Bristol Channel. Mainly fair. Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel
24 hour forecast: Southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 2 in south and 5 in north, becoming variable 3 or less later in south. Moderate at first near St Davids Head, otherwise smooth or slight. Fog patches mainly at first, otherwise fair. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor mainly at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 2 to 4, but southwesterly 3 or 4 at first near Anglesey. Smooth or slight. Mainly fair. Moderate or good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway
24 hour forecast: Variable 2 to 4 in southeast, otherwise southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5. Smooth or slight. Fog patches mainly at first, otherwise fair. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor mainly at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 at first in north, otherwise variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 in north. Smooth or slight. Mainly fair. Moderate or good.
Isle of Man
24 hour forecast: South or southwest 3 to 5. Slight, occasionally moderate. Mainly fair. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: South or southwest 3 or 4, decreasing 3 or less later. Slight, becoming smooth or slight. Mainly fair. Moderate or good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough
24 hour forecast: Southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in east, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time at first. Slight, occasionally smooth at first in south. Mainly fair. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate in far north. Mainly fair. Moderate or good.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel
24 hour forecast: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5. Smooth or slight. Mainly fair. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later near Mull of Kintyre. Mainly fair. Moderate or good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in northwest, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time at first in south. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far northwest. Occasional rain or drizzle mainly in north. Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 in south. Moderate or rough in northwest, slight or moderate elsewhere. Rain or drizzle at times, fog patches in north. Moderate or good, occasionally poor in south and very poor in north.
The Minch - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Southwest 5 or 6, decreasing 4 or 5. Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in north. Rain or drizzle, fog patches developing. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 4 to 6. Smooth or slight just east of skye, otherwise slight or moderate. Rain or drizzle, fog patches. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Southwest 5 or 6, decreasing 4 or 5. Moderate, occasionally rough west of the Outer Hebrides and slight later near Sutherland. Rain or drizzle, fog patches developing. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 4 to 6. Moderate or rough west of the Outer Hebrides, slight or moderate elsewhere. Rain or drizzle, fog patches. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Shetland Isles - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Southwest 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later. Moderate, occasionally slight in east. Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches later. Moderate or good, occasionally poor, or very poor later.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland
Valid Saturday 23 May 2026 at 1200 UTC until Sunday 24 May 2026 at 0000 UTC
General situation: A southwesterly flow will affect Shetland Waters.
Forecast: Southwest 3 to 5. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in west. Occasional rain Moderate or good.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Sunday 24 May until 1200 UTC on Sunday 24 May: Southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in west. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in west at first. Occasional rain and fog patches. Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps poor.
Channel Islands
24 hour forecast: North to northwest 2 to 3, locally 4 at times, veering northeast overnight. Smooth, locally slight, with a low swell. Risk of mist or fog patches, mainly in the far west. Good, perhaps locally poor or very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northeast 3 to 4, locally 2 at times, veering east around dusk. Smooth, locally slight, with a low swell. Small risk of mist or fog patches mid-channel. Good, perhaps occasionally poor or very poor mid-channel.