Inshore waters forecast and strong winds

General situation

A weak ridge of high pressure in the south, will soon give way to a generally strong, cool and showery northwesterly flow for the next couple of days.

Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southwesterly 4 or 5, veering northwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 in north, then becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later. Slight or moderate, becoming rough in far northwest, but smooth or slight later in Moray Firth. Rain at first, then showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Cyclonic, becoming northerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5. Moderate or rough in far northwest, otherwise smooth or slight. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: South 3 or 4, veering west or northwest 4 to 6. Slight or moderate. Rain at first, then showers. Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West, veering north or northeast, then backing northwest later, 3 to 5. Smooth or slight. Showers. Good.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: South 3 or 4, veering west or northwest 4 to 6, but variable 2 to 4 for a time later. Slight or moderate. Rain for a time at first, then showers. Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or southwest 4 or 5, veering north 3 or 4, then backing northwest 4 or 5 later. Slight, occasionally moderate. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point

24 hour forecast: Northwest 3 or 4, backing southwest 4 or 5, but veering northwest for a time later. Slight or moderate. Fair at first, then showers. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest veering northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first. Slight, occasionally moderate at first. Showers, thundery for a time. Good, occasionally moderate.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland

24 hour forecast: Northwesterly backing southwesterly, then veering westerly or northwesterly later, 4 or 5. Slight or moderate. Fair at first, then showers. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in north, veering northwesterly 4 to 6 later. Slight, occasionally moderate in east. Showers, thundery for a time. Good, occasionally moderate.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 5 or 6, then veering northwesterly 3 to 5 later. Slight, occasionally smooth at first, and occasionally moderate later. Showers for a time later. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northwesterly 3 to 5, backing westerly or southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later. Slight or moderate. Fair at first, then thundery showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis

24 hour forecast: Variable 1 to 3, becoming west 4 or 5. Smooth becoming slight. Showers for a time later. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7, then veering northwest 5 or 6 later. Slight or moderate. Fair at first, then thundery showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly

24 hour forecast: West or northwest 3 or 4, occasionally 2 at first, increasing 5 later. Smooth or slight, becoming moderate in far west. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first. Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in far west. Fair at first, then thundery showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

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

24 hour forecast: Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later. Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later. Fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West veering northwest 5 to 7. Moderate, occasionally rough in west. Fair at first, then thundery showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

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

24 hour forecast: West 2 to 4, veering west or northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate. Fair at first, then showers. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West veering northwest 5 to 7. Moderate, occasionally rough in west. Thundery showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

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

24 hour forecast: West or northwest 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later. Slight or moderate. Fair at first, then showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West veering northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first, and occasionally 7 later. Moderate, occasionally slight in north. Showers, thundery at first. Good, occasionally moderate.

Isle of Man - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northwest 3 or 4, backing west 4 or 5, then veering northwest 5 or 6 later. Slight, occasionally moderate later. Rain for a time, then showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later. Moderate, occasionally rough later. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southwesterly 3 to 5, veering westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in far north. Slight or moderate, becoming rough in far north. Rain at first, then showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Westerly veering northwesterly 5 to 7. Slight or moderate, but rough in far north. Showers, thundery at first. Good, occasionally moderate.

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

24 hour forecast: Southwesterly 3 to 5, veering westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later near Mull of Kintyre. Slight or moderate, becoming rough later near Mull of Kintyre. Rain at first, then showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Westerly veering northwesterly 5 to 7. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough near Mull of Kintyre. Showers, thundery at first. Good, occasionally moderate.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: West 4 or 5, veering northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later. Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in west. Rain at first, then showers, thundery later. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

The Minch - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southwest 4 or 5, veering west or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later. Slight or moderate. Rain at first, then showers, thundery later. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West veering north 4 to 6. Slight or moderate. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southwest 4 or 5, veering west or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later. Moderate becoming rough, occasionally very rough later. Rain at first, then showers, thundery later. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West veering north 4 to 6. Rough, occasionally very rough. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Shetland Isles - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: South veering west 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming variable 2 or 3 later. Moderate, occasionally rough. Rain at first, then showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland

Valid Tuesday 12 May 2026 at 0000 UTC until Tuesday 12 May 2026 at 1200 UTC

General situation: A front pushing east across Shetland waters early Tuesday followed by a broad area of low pressure sinking south.

Forecast: South or southwest 5 to 7, veering west or northwest 4 to 6 Moderate, but occasionally rough in west, and slight in well-sheltered eastern waters, Rain then showers Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first

Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Tuesday 12 May until 0000 UTC on Wednesday 13 May: West or northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4 later. Moderate or rough but slight in well-sheltered eastern waters Showers Good, occasionally moderate or poor

Channel Islands

24 hour forecast: Northwest 3 to 4, occasionally variable 1 to 2 at first, mainly in the east of the area, increasing 4 to 5 from mid-afternoon. Smooth to slight, increasing slight to moderate later. A risk of mist patches near the french coast Tuesday morning. Good, perhaps locally poor Tuesday morning.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: West to northwest 4 to 5, increasing 5 to 6 by dawn on Wednesday. Slight to moderate, increasing rather rough to rough around midday. Scattered showers from dawn, perhaps locally heavy. Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor.