Inshore waters forecast and strong winds
Issued by the Met Office at
Inshore waters forecast to 12 miles offshore
00:00 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Fri 30 Oct 2026
General situation
High pressure will be slow moving over the Continent throughout the forecast period, maintaining a mainly southerly flow, with relatively light winds at times in south. Low pressure in the Atlantic will push frontal troughs later into the western areas.
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney
24 hour forecast: Southwesterly 4 or 5, backing southerly or southeasterly, 3 to 5. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough until later west of Orkney. Showers at first. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in the northwest, becoming variable 2 to 4 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Moray Firth. Rain. Moderate or good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed
24 hour forecast: South or southwest 3 to 5. Slight, occasionally moderate in north and smooth in south. Showers at first. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: South 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later. Slight, occasionally moderate in north and slight in south. Mainly fair. Mainly good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby
24 hour forecast: Southwest backing south 3 or 4, occasionally 2 later. Smooth or slight. Showers at first. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: South or southeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 for a time. Smooth or slight. Mainly fair. Mainly good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point
24 hour forecast: Southwest backing south or southeast, 3 or 4, occasionally 2 later. Smooth or slight. Showers at first. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: South or southeast, 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Coastal fog patches for a time, otherwise fair. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor for a time.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland
24 hour forecast: Southwesterly 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less, then southeasterly, 2 to 4 later. Smooth or slight. Drizzle at first. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly or southeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 2 in north and 5 in south. Smooth or slight. Coastal fog patches for a time, otherwise fair. Mainly good, occasionally very poor for a time.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill
24 hour forecast: Southwesterly 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less, then easterly or southeasterly, 3 or 4 later. Smooth or slight. Drizzle at first. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Easterly or southeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 for a time. Slight, occasionally smooth at first. Fair. Good, occasionally poor for a time.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis
24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less, becoming east or southeast, 3 to 5. Slight, occasionally moderate at first. Drizzle at first. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or southeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 for a time. Slight, occasionally moderate later. Fair. Good, occasionally poor.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly
24 hour forecast: South or southwest 3 or 4, backing southeast 3 to 5. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first near Isles of Scilly. Showers at first. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or southeast, 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Mainly fair. Mainly good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel
24 hour forecast: Southwest backing south or southeast, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later in west. Slight or moderate. Showers at first. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: East or southeast, 4 or 5. Slight or moderate. Mainly fair. Mainly good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel
24 hour forecast: Southwest backing south or southeast, 3 to 5. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth east of Anglesey. Showers at first. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: South or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first and 3 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth east of Anglesey. Mainly fair. Mainly good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway
24 hour forecast: Southwest backing south or southeast, 4 or 5. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Liverpool Bay. Showers at first. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: South or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first and 3 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Liverpool Bay. Mainly fair. Mainly good.
Isle of Man - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Southwest 3 or 4, backing south 4 or 5, then south or southeast, 5 or 6 later. Slight, becoming slight or moderate later. Mainly fair. Mainly good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: South or southeast 5 or 6, decreasing 4 or 5, then 3 or 4 later. Slight or moderate, becoming slight later. Mainly fair. Mainly good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Southwest 3 or 4, backing south or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later. Slight or moderate. Showers at first. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: South or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later. Slight or moderate. Rain later in north and west. Moderate or good.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Southwesterly 3 or 4, backing southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later in North Channel. Slight or moderate. Showers at first. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southerly or southwesterly, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in North Channel. Slight or moderate. Fair at first, then rain. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Southwesterly 4 or 5, backing southerly or southeasterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later in west. Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in sheltered east. Showers at first. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southerly or southeasterly, 6 or 7, decreasing 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later. Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in sheltered east. Fair, then rain. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
The Minch - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Southwesterly backing southerly or southeasterly, 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later. Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in entrances. Showers at first. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: South or southeast 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 or 5 later. Moderate or rough south of skye, elsewhere slight or moderate. Fair, then rain. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Southwesterly backing southerly or southeasterly, 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in southwest. Showers at first. Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southerly or southeasterly, 5 to 7, veering southwesterly 4 or 5 later, becoming variable 3 or less later in west. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in west. Fair, then rain. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Shetland Isles - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Southwest backing south 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first and 3 later. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in north and west, becoming slight in sheltered eastern waters. Showers at first. Mainly good.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland - Strong wind warning
Valid Thursday 29 Oct 2026 at 0000 UTC until Thursday 29 Oct 2026 at 1200 UTC
General situation: The ridge will clear Shetland waters Thursday morning, becoming slow moving to the east until early Friday morning.
Forecast: Southwest 5 or 6, later occasionally 4. Very rough at first in north and west, otherwise moderate or rough, but slight in sheltered waters east of shetland. Showers dying out. Mainly good.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Thursday 29 Oct until 0000 UTC on Friday 30 Oct: Southwest backing south 4 or 5, later occasionally 3. Moderate or rough, but slight in sheltered waters east of shetland. Fair. Good.
Channel Islands
24 hour forecast: South to southeast 1 to 3, backing southeast to east 3 to 4 by mid-morning, perhaps locally 5 mid-channel later. Smooth to slight, with a low swell. Fair or fine. Good or very good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: East to southeast 3 to 4, backing east to northeast later. Smooth to slight, with a low swell. Fair or fine. Good or very good.