Inshore waters forecast and strong winds

General situation

A strong north or northwest airflow covers the United Kingdom, with gales affecting northern and eastern areas at times. Wintry showers will affect many areas, with squally snow showers in places mainly across northern and eastern waters.

Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: North or northwest 6 to gale 8. Moderate or rough in shelter, otherwise rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in north. Squally snow showers. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North or northwest 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 at first. Moderate or rough in shelter, otherwise rough or very rough. Squally snow showers. Good, occasionally very poor.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 at times in south. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough near Rattray Head and in far south. Squally snow showers. Good, occasionally very poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first. Slight or moderate in firths of Tay and Forth, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in east. Squally snow showers. Good, occasionally very poor.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northwest 6 to gale 8. Rough or very rough. Squally snow showers. Good, occasionally very poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northwest 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 until later. Rough occasionally very rough. Squally snow showers. Good, occasionally very poor.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8. Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in south. Squally sleet and snow showers. Good, occasionally very poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north. Squally snow showers. Good, occasionally very poor.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in north. In north, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in east, but in south, slight or moderate. Squally sleet and snow showers in north. Good, occasionally poor in north.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, backing westerly 4 to 6 later. Moderate or rough in north, slight or moderate in south. Squally wintry showers in north. Good, occasionally poor in north.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later near North Foreland. Slight or moderate. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northwesterly 4 to 6. Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight except in far east. Fair. Good.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northwest 5 or 6. Slight, occasionally smooth in shelter near shore and moderate offshore. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first offshore. Fair. Good.

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

24 hour forecast: Northerly 4 to 6. Smooth or slight in lyme bay, but elsewhere slight or moderate. Wintry showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northerly or northwesterly, veering northeasterly for a time in west, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first. Slight or moderate in far west, smooth or slight elsewhere. Wintry showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

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

24 hour forecast: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in northwest. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough near St Davids Head. Wintry showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times later. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first near St Davids Head, becoming smooth or slight in east. Wintry showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

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

24 hour forecast: North or northwest 5 to 7. Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in northern Cardigan Bay. Squally wintry showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first near St Davids Head. Wintry showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: North or northwest 5 to 7. Moderate, occasionally slight in north and rough near great orme head. Squally wintry showers in south and west. Good, occasionally moderate in south and west.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first. Slight or moderate. Wintry showers in south and west. Good, occasionally moderate in south and west.

Isle of Man - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: North or northwest 6 or 7, decreasing 5 or 6 later. Moderate, occasionally rough at first. Wintry showers, mainly in south and west. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North or northwest 5 or 6, decreasing 4 or 5 for a time later. Moderate, becoming slight or moderate. Wintry showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in far north. Moderate, occasionally rough in far north. Squally sleet and snow showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in far north. Sleet and snow showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7. Mainly slight in Firth of Clyde and near arran, otherwise moderate, occasionally rough near Mull of Kintyre. Squally sleet and snow showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first. Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Firth of Clyde and near arran. Sleet and snow showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: North or northwest 6 to gale 8. Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east and very rough in far west. Squally snow showers. Good, occasionally very poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first. Slight or moderate in east, moderate or rough in west. Snow showers. Good, occasionally poor.

The Minch - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northerly 6 to gale 8. Mainly very rough in far north and slight just southeast of skye, otherwise moderate or rough. Squally snow showers. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, then decreasing 4 at times in south. Mainly very rough until later in far north, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north. Squally snow showers. Good, occasionally very poor.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northerly 6 to gale 8. Moderate or rough between barra and canna, rough or very rough elsewhere, occasionally high at first near Cape Wrath. Squally snow showers. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, then decreasing 4 at times in south. Moderate or rough in south, rough or very rough in north. Squally snow showers. Good, occasionally very poor.

Shetland Isles - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northerly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in north and west. Rough or very rough, occasionally high in west. Squally snow showers. Moderate, occasionally very poor.

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

Valid Friday 02 Jan 2026 at 1800 UTC until Saturday 03 Jan 2026 at 0600 UTC

General situation: A strong, unstable, northerly airflow over Shetland Waters with frequent snow and hail showers.

Forecast: Northerly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in the north. Very rough, becoming high in the northwest, occasionally rough just east of shetland. Squally snow and hail showers. Moderate, occasionally poor or very poor.

Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Saturday 03 Jan until 1800 UTC on Saturday 03 Jan: Northerly 6 to gale 8, occasionally increasing severe gale 9 in the north. Very rough, high in the west at first, rough to the southeast of shetland. Squally snow and hail showers. Moderate, occasionally poor or very poor.

Channel Islands - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: North to northwest 4 to 5, perhaps occasionally 6 Saturday morning. Slight to moderate. Isolated showers. Good or very good, perhaps occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North to northwest 4 to 5 decreasing 3 to 4 by midday. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first. Isolated showers. Good or very good, perhaps occasionally moderate.