Inshore waters forecast and strong winds
Issued by the Met Office at
Inshore waters forecast to 12 miles offshore
18:00 (UTC) on Thu 2 Jul 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Fri 3 Jul 2026
General situation
The United Kingdom will lie in a mainly westerly or northwesterly airflow during Thursday evening. Strong winds in the northeast will gradually ease during the next 24 hours as high pressure builds from the southwest.
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, backing southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later in northwest. Rough to the north and west of Orkney, but slight or moderate elsewhere. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in northwest, becoming variable 3 for a time in southeast. Moderate or rough to the north and west of Orkney, but smooth or slight elsewhere. Rain at times. Good, occasionally moderate.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Westerly or northwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first in north, backing southwesterly 3 or 4. Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight. Showers at first. Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 or 3 for a time. Smooth or slight. Rain at times. Good, occasionally moderate.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Northwest 4 to 6 backing west or southwest 3 or 4. Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later. Fair. Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 or 3 for a time. Smooth or slight. Rain at times. Good, occasionally moderate.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4 later. Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later. Fair. Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 2 to 4 becoming west or southwest 3 to 5. Smooth or slight. Rain at times. Good, occasionally moderate.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland
24 hour forecast: Northwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near northeastern Norfolk. Fair. Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 2 to 4 becoming westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill
24 hour forecast: Westerly or northwesterly becoming variable, 3 or 4, becoming southwesterly 3 to 5 later. Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight. Fair. Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later. Fair. Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis
24 hour forecast: West 4 or 5 becoming variable 3 or 4, becoming southwest later. Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight. Fair. Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or southwest 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later. Fair. Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly
24 hour forecast: West or northwest 2 to 4, becoming variable for a time. Slight or moderate from the Lizard peninsula westwards, but smooth or slight elsewhere. Showers at first. Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or northwest 3 or 4. Slight or moderate from the Lizard peninsula westwards, but smooth or slight elsewhere. Mainly fair, but rain for a time. Good, occasionally moderate.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel
24 hour forecast: Northwest becoming variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Bristol Channel. Showers at first. Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or southwest 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Mainly fair, but rain for a time. Good, occasionally moderate.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel
24 hour forecast: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 4 or 5 later. Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight for a time in north. Fair. Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 4 to 6. Slight or moderate. Mainly fair, but rain for a time. Good, occasionally moderate.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway
24 hour forecast: West or northwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, backing southwest 3 to 5 later. Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: South or southwest 4 to 6. Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate. Occasional rain or drizzle. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Isle of Man
24 hour forecast: West or northwest 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first, backing south or southwest 3 to 5 later. Slight. Mainly fair, rain later. Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: South or southwest, backing west or southwest, 3 to 5. Slight, occasionally moderate. Rain then mainly fair. Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough
24 hour forecast: Northwest backing southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, backing south 3 to 5 later. Moderate in far north, but smooth or slight elsewhere. Showers, rain later. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north. Moderate in far north, but smooth or slight elsewhere. Occasional rain or drizzle. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel
24 hour forecast: Northwesterly backing southwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, backing southerly 3 to 5 later. Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight. Showers, rain later. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5. Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate. Occasional rain or drizzle. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point
24 hour forecast: West backing southwest 3 to 5, backing south 2 to 4 later. Moderate or rough, but mainly slight in sheltered waters. Showers, rain later. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: South 2 to 4 veering southwest 4 to 6. Moderate or rough, but mainly slight in sheltered waters. Occasional rain or drizzle. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
The Minch - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Westerly backing southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later in south. Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight just north and east of skye. Showers. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in north. Mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight just north and east of skye. Occasional rain or drizzle. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Westerly backing southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later in south. Moderate or rough. Showers. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in north. Moderate or rough. Occasional rain or drizzle. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Northwest 6 to gale 8 backing west or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later. Moderate or rough, becoming slight to east of Shetland. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland
Valid Thursday 02 Jul 2026 at 1800 UTC until Friday 03 Jul 2026 at 0600 UTC
General situation: A ridge moves eastwards over Shetland waters giving a westerly flow.
Forecast: Northwesterly 6 to gale 8 backing southwest 4 or 5. Moderate or rough, but slight in shelter east of shetland. Showers. Good or moderate.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Friday 03 Jul until 1800 UTC on Friday 03 Jul: Southwest 4 to 6. Moderate or rough, but slight in shelter east of shetland. Showers. Good or moderate.
Channel Islands
24 hour forecast: Northwest 3 to 4, veering northeast after midnight, backing north and decreasing 2 to 3 later, occasionally 4 in the southeast of the area. Slight to moderate, decreasing smooth or slight by midnight a low swell throughout. A risk of patchy drizzle and mist at first, mainly in the south of the area. Good, perhaps locally moderate or poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northerly 3 to 4, backing northwest to west by midnight, occasionally 2 in the north of the area. Smooth or slight, with a low swell. A risk of mist or fog patches from dawn Saturday. Good, perhaps locally poor or very poor.