Inshore waters forecast and strong winds

General situation

A series of Atlantic lows will push through the United Kingdom through the coming days. This will maintain unsettled weather for most coastlines with occasional rain or showers, some of which will be heavy and thundery. Gales are likely for a time in some southern areas.

Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: North 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in Orkney, veering northeast 2 to 4 later. Slight or moderate. Occasional rain. Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northeasterly 2 to 4, veering easterly 4 or 5 later, occasionally 6 in north. Slight occasionally moderate. Occasional rain. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed

24 hour forecast: Westerly or northwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first in north, becoming variable 2 to 4. Slight or moderate. Showers. Good occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or southeast 3 to 5, then cyclonic later. Slight, occasionally moderate. Showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally moderate and later.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby

24 hour forecast: West 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 later. Slight occasionally moderate at first. Fair then occasional rain. Good occasionally moderate or poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 3 or less, becoming southeast 3 to 5, then cyclonic later. Slight, occasionally moderate. Rain or showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point

24 hour forecast: West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4, then west or northwest later. Slight, occasionally smooth. Fair then rain, perhaps thundery later. Good occasionally moderate or poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or northwest becoming variable, 2 to 4, becoming south or southeast 3 to 5, before veering southwest later. Slight, occasionally smooth. Showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Westerly or southwesterly becoming cyclonic for a time, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in south. Slight or moderate, but smooth in Thames estuary and the wash, and occasionally rough towards North Foreland later. Rain or showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or southwest 4 to 6. Slight or moderate, but smooth in Thames estuary and the wash, and occasionally rough towards North Foreland later. Showers, thundery later. Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6, veering westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. Moderate or rough. Rain or showers, perhaps thundery at first. Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later. Moderate occasionally rough later. Showers, thundery later. Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: South or southwest 4 to 6, veering west or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later. Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first. Rain or showers, perhaps thundery at first. Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later. Showers, thundery at times. Good, occasionally moderate.

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

24 hour forecast: South or southwest, veering west 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing southwest 4 or 5 later. Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in lyme bay throughout, occasionally very rough at first in west. Thundery rain, then showers. Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in west. Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in lyme bay throughout, occasionally very rough later in west. Showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

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

24 hour forecast: Cyclonic, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in south, decreasing 2 or 3 for a time in north, becoming westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 to 5 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in west. Rain or showers, perhaps thundery at first. Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in west. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in west. Showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally moderate at first and poor later.

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

24 hour forecast: Cyclonic, becoming northwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south, backing southwesterly 3 to 5 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in north. Showers then rain, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest veering west later, 4 to 6. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in south. Showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway

24 hour forecast: Variable 2 to 4, becoming north 3 to 5, backing southwest 2 to 4 later. Smooth or slight. Showers, then rain. Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest becoming cyclonic then west later, 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in southwest. Rain then showers, perhaps thundery later. Good, occasionally poor.

Isle of Man

24 hour forecast: Variable becoming northeast 2 or 3, backing northwest 3 or 4, then south or southwest later. Smooth or slight. Rain and drizzle for a time, showers later. Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: South or southwest, veering west later, 4 or 5, occasionally 3 at first. Slight or moderate. Fair, then rain or showers. Good occasionally moderate.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 later. Smooth or slight. Showers. Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 3 or less, becoming southeast 2 to 4, then veering west or northwest 4 or 5 later. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in south. Showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor.

Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 later. Smooth or slight. Showers in south. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 3 or less, becoming southeasterly 2 to 4, then veering westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5 later. Smooth or slight. Showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point

24 hour forecast: Variable 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Mainly fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 2 to 4, becoming west 3 to 5 later. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in northwest. Fair then showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor.

The Minch

24 hour forecast: Easterly or northeasterly, becoming cyclonic in south, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in north. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in north. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly at first in north, otherwise cyclonic, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in far north. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in north. Showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath

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

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly at first in north, otherwise cyclonic, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in far north. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in south at first. Showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Shetland Isles - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northerly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later in southwest. Moderate occasionally slight later in south. Rain or drizzle at first. Moderate or poor, becoming good.

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

Valid Saturday 29 Aug 2026 at 0600 UTC until Saturday 29 Aug 2026 at 1800 UTC

General situation: Low pressure moving away from Shetland Waters towards Norway with a northerly airstream.

Forecast: North 5 or 6 Moderate. Rain or drizzle becoming fair Moderate or poor becoming good

Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Saturday 29 Aug until 0600 UTC on Sunday 30 Aug: Northerly 4 or 5, decreasing 3 later in the southwest Moderate, occasionally slight to the south of shetland. Mainly fair Mainly good

Channel Islands - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: South 5 to 6, veering southwest 6 to 7 with gusts to 45kt by midday, perhaps occasionally gale 8, veering southwest to west 5 to 6 by dusk, decreasing 4 to 5 by midnight. Slight to moderate, increasing rather rough to rough by mid-afternoon, perhaps occasionally very rough mid-channel, decreasing slight to moderate with a low swell later. Rain and drizzle, locally heavy, clearing to showers by midday. Good, occasionally moderate to poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 4 to 5, increasing 5 to 6 by dusk, and 6 to 7 by midnight, veering west 5 to 6 later. Slight to moderate with a low swell, increasing rather rough to rough by dusk. Showers, locally heavy. Good, locally moderate or perhaps poor.