Inshore waters forecast and strong winds

General situation

A ridge of high pressure across the United Kingdom will continue to bring settled conditions with generally light or moderate breezes, some showery rain is likely over northern waters at times, with showers developing more widely from Monday afternoon through the North Sea. Becoming more settled again into Tuesday but with strengthening winds in the English Channel.

Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney

24 hour forecast: Variable, mainly west, 2 to 4. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Moray Firth. Occasional rain, fog patches near Orkney. Moderate or good, occasionally poor and very poor near Orkney.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 2 to 4. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Moray Firth, becoming smooth or slight in east. Showers at first. Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed

24 hour forecast: Variable 2 to 4. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Firth of Forth, becoming smooth or slight. Occasional rain, fog patches. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Mainly fair. Good.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby

24 hour forecast: Variable, becoming north or northeast, 2 to 4. Slight or moderate. Occasional rain. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northeast 2 to 4. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in south. Mainly fair. Good, occasionally moderate.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point

24 hour forecast: South or southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming north or northeast 4 or 5 later. Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight for a time. Showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North or northeast 4 or 5. Slight or moderate. Showers at first. Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland

24 hour forecast: Variable, mainly northeasterly, 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Showers later. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northeasterly 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate. Showers at first. Good, occasionally moderate at first.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill

24 hour forecast: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, variable 2 to 4 for a time later. Smooth or slight. Mainly fair, showers later in east. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate. Showers at first, mainly in east. Good, occasionally moderate at first mainly in east.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis

24 hour forecast: East or northeast 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less later, then becoming northeast 3 or 4 later. Smooth or slight. Fair. Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northeast 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later offshore. Mainly fair. Good.

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly

24 hour forecast: Variable, mainly northeast, 2 to 4. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later west of Lands End. Mainly fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 4 to 6. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate. Mainly fair. Good.

Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel

24 hour forecast: Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in west. Mainly fair. Showers.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North or northeast 3 to 5. Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in inner Bristol Channel. Mainly fair. Good.

St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later near St Davids Head. Mainly fair, fog patches at first in north. Good, occasionally very poor at first in north.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North veering northeast, 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near St Davids Head. Fair. Moderate or good.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway

24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less, becoming northwest 3 to 5, veering north or northeast later. Smooth or slight. Fog patches at first. Good, occasionally very poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North or northeast, veering east later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first and later. Smooth or slight. Fair. Mainly good.

Isle of Man

24 hour forecast: North or northwest 3 or 4, veering north or northeast later. Smooth or slight. Fog patches at first. Good, occasionally very poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North or northeast 3 to 5, veering east or northeast, decreasing 2 to 4 later. Smooth or slight. Mainly fair. Good.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough

24 hour forecast: Variable becoming north or northwest, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later. Smooth or slight. Showers, mainly in north. Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North or northwest becoming variable, then becoming east or northeast later, 2 to 4. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later near Lough Foyle. Mainly fair. Moderate or good.

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

24 hour forecast: Variable becoming northwesterly, 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Fog patches at first. Good, occasionally very poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northwesterly becoming variable, then northeasterly later, 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point

24 hour forecast: Southwest veering northwest, 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northwest becoming variable then becoming east later, 2 to 4. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later. Mainly fair. Good, occasionally moderate.

The Minch

24 hour forecast: Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4. Smooth or slight, but moderate until later in north. Occasional rain, becoming mainly fair later. Moderate or good, occasionally poor until later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 3 or less. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in south. Mainly fair. Mainly good.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath

24 hour forecast: Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4. Slight or moderate. Occasional rain, becoming mainly fair later. Moderate or good, occasionally poor until later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 3 or less. Slight or moderate, becoming mainly moderate later. Mainly fair. Mainly good.

Shetland Isles

24 hour forecast: South or southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4. Slight or moderate. Occasional rain. Good, occasionally moderate.

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

Valid Monday 27 Apr 2026 at 0000 UTC until Monday 27 Apr 2026 at 1200 UTC

General situation: A trough slips south over Shetland Waters into Monday as high pressure builds across the area.

Forecast: Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less in the west. Slight or moderate. Rain or showers. Occasional mist or fog. Good or moderate, occasionally poor or very poor.

Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Monday 27 Apr until 0000 UTC on Tuesday 28 Apr: Variable 3 or less in west. southeasterly 3 to 5 in east. Slight occasionally moderate. Mist and fog patches. Moderate occasionally poor or very poor.

Channel Islands

24 hour forecast: Northeast 2 to 4, becoming variable 1 to 2 mid-channel for a time Monday evening. Smooth to slight, occasionally moderate mid-channel Monday morning. Risk of mist patches near the normandy coast around dawn, and perhaps mid-channel later. Good, perhaps locally poor tomorrow.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Northeast 3 to 4, generally increasing 5 to 6 by midday Tuesday. Smooth to slight, increasing slight to moderate Tuesday morning, then moderate to rather rough by evening, and rough mid-channel later. Risk of mist or fog patches in the north of the area until at first. Good, perhaps locally poor in the north.