Inshore waters forecast and strong winds
Issued by the Met Office at
Inshore waters forecast to 12 miles offshore
00:00 (UTC) on Fri 2 Oct 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Sat 3 Oct 2026
General situation
The United Kingdom sits between a deep low to the west of Iceland and high pressure over the Continent, which maintains a brisk, mainly southwesterly flow across the inshore waters during the coming days.
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: South veering southwest later, 4 to 6. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north. Showers, then rain for a time later. Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later near Cape Wrath. Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough to the north and west of Orkney. Rain or showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: South or southeast veering southwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later. Slight or moderate. Showers, then rain for a time later. Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or southwest 4 to 6. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in firths of Tay and Forth. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: South 4 or 5, veering southwest 5 or 6 later. Slight or moderate. Showers, then rain at times later. Good occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or southwest 5 or 6, decreasing 2 to 4, then becoming variable for a time later. Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight. Occasional rain at first. Good occasionally moderate at first.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: South or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in north. Occasional rain later in north. Good, occasionally poor later in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: South 5 or 6, veering southwest 4 or 5, then becoming variable 3 or less. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in north. Occasional rain at first. Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland
24 hour forecast: Westerly 3 or 4, backing southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Occasional rain in north. Good, occasionally moderate in north.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill
24 hour forecast: Westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less later. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 3 or less. Smooth or slight. Mainly fair. Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis
24 hour forecast: Southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first. Slight, occasionally moderate at first. Mainly fair. Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less. Smooth or slight. Mainly fair. Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly
24 hour forecast: South or southwest 3 to 5. Moderate or rough until later west of the Lizard peninsula, otherwise slight or moderate. Showers at first. Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less later. Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later in east. Occasional rain near Isles of Scilly. Good, occasionally moderate near Isles of Scilly.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in west and 3 in east. Moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east. Showers, then occasional rain later. Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in west, becoming variable 2 to 4. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in west. Occasional rain until later. Good, occasionally moderate until later.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later in north, veering northwesterly 3 or 4 later. Moderate or rough occasionally slight east of Anglesey. Rain or showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northwest 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less, then south or southwest 2 to 4 later. Slight or moderate occasionally rough at first in south. Occasional rain at first. Good, occasionally poor at first.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: South 4 to 6, veering southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 for a time later, then veering northwest 4 or 5 later. Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time later in north. Rain or showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northwest 4 or 5, backing west or southwest 2 to 4. Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight. Occasional rain at first. Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Isle of Man - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7, then veering west 4 or 5 later. Moderate or rough. Fair then rain for a time. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: West backing south or southwest later, 3 to 5. Moderate becoming slight. Fair. Good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time later in east, then veering westerly 4 or 5 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far north and later also south. Rain or showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: West backing southwest, 3 to 5. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in south. Showers at first. Good.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time later, then veering westerly 4 or 5 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in north. Rain or showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Westerly backing southwesterly, 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Mull of Kintyre. Showers at first. Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: South or southwest veering west later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 near Mull of Kintyre. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in northwest and slight in sheltered east. Rain or showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: West backing south or southwest later, 4 to 6. Moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east. Showers. Good.
The Minch - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, veering west 4 or 5 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough near entrances. Rain or showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: West 4 or 5, backing southwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough near entrances. Showers, occasional rain in north. Good, occasionally moderate in north.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, veering west 4 or 5 later. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first west of the Outer Hebrides. Rain or showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: West 4 or 5, backing southwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later. Moderate or rough. Showers, occasional rain in north. Good, occasionally moderate in north.
Shetland Isles - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: South veering southwest later, 4 to 6. Moderate or rough. Fair then showers, then rain for a time later. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland - Strong wind warning
Valid Friday 02 Oct 2026 at 0000 UTC until Friday 02 Oct 2026 at 1200 UTC
General situation: Low pressure northwest of the UK maintains a south or southwesterly flow over Shetland Waters.
Forecast: South 4 to 6. Moderate or rough. Mainly fair, showers later. Good.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Friday 02 Oct until 0000 UTC on Saturday 03 Oct: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 in west then westerly to northwesterly 3 or 4 in west. Moderate or rough. Rain or showers. Good, occasionally moderate.
Channel Islands
24 hour forecast: Southerly 2 to 4, locally variable 1 to 3 by midday, backing east to northeast 2 to 3 by dusk. Smooth or slight, with a moderate swell gradually decreasing. Fair or fine. Good or very good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: East to northeast 2 to 3, locally 4 in the southeast. Smooth or slight with a low swell. Fair or fine. Good or very good.