Coast and sea
Printable version
General situation
Low pressure to the north of the United Kingdom will maintain a strong westerly flow across all areas during Thursday afternoon. This will bring showers in the north which will be frequent and squally along the coast of western Scotland, where the wind may reach gale force at times. Another Atlantic frontal system will move eastwards across southern Wales and southern England during Thursday evening, Thursday night and Friday, bringing rain, drizzle and poor visibility at times to these areas.
Issued at:
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the periodto
Inshore waters forecast and strong winds map
Loading map…
iInshore waters forecast explained
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in south, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in Moray Firth, elsewhere mainly slight or moderate, but occasionally rough to the west and north of Orkney.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time except near Orkney.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Moray Firth and occasionally rough at first in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in south, decreasing 4 at times in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in south, becoming variable 2 at times in north, veering northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 5 to 7 backing southwest 4 to 6, then veering west again later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 3 or 4 becoming variable 2 to 4 then cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming west or northwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate in south.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly, backing southerly or southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4 then cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming westerly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, then showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in south.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5 backing southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight at first in east and rough later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in east and slight later in east.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle, then showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West backing southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7 veering west 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, then showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good later.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5 backing southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough for a time to the west of Lizard Point.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 then west or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight later in Lyme Bay and rough later in west.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West backing southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time in west.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor for a time.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming west or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later near Cornwall.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, veering west or northwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain for a time in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in south.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest becoming variable, 2 to 4, becoming northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 6 decreasing 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first and 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4 decreasing 2 or 3, veering west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in far north, decreasing 3 at times later elsewhere.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in far north, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less, then northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate in far north, but elsewhere smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in north, decreasing 2 or 3 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in far north and rough near the Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 or 3, then northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near the Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5 decreasing 2 or 3, veering northwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in south and 4 in north, becoming variable mainly northwesterly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in west and south and smooth later just north and east of Skye.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable, becoming northwest later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in south and 4 in north, becoming variable mainly northwesterly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough until later except in far north, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable, becoming northwest later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West veering north 3 to 5, backing northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Thursday 04 Jul 2024 at 1200 UTC until Friday 05 Jul 2024 at 0000 UTC
General situation
Complex low pressure area will be slow moving across Shetland Waters through the period.
Forecast
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in east, veering northerly 4 or 5 in north
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight in lee shelter east of Shetland
- Weather
- Occasional rain
- Visibility
- Moderate or good
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Friday 05 Jul until 1200 UTC on Friday 05 Jul
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, but westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5 in south at first
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight in lee shelter east of Shetland
- Weather
- Occasional rain
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 4 to 5, backing southwest overnight, increasing 6 mid-channel from midnight.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, increasing rather rough in the northwest later.
- Weather
- Risk of isolated showers at first, then patchy rain or drizzle in the far north later.
- Visibility
- Good, perhaps locally moderate at times.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 5, occasionally 6 mid-channel, locally northwest or variable 2 in the south of the area in the afternoon, veering northwest 4 to 6 overnight, backing west later.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, occasionally rather rough in the north and west at first and again later.
- Weather
- Patchy rain or drizzle at times, mainly in the north, with a risk of mist patches, then rain spreading southeast overnight, locally heavy, clearing around dawn.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate to poor at times.
The inshore waters forecast information
Forecasts for UK inshore waters are issued four times a day and cover a period of 24 hours from 0000, 0600, 1200 and 1800 UTC.
The coastal waters around the British Isles are divided into 19 areas which extend up to 12 nautical miles offshore.
The forecast contains details of wind direction and force, sea state, weather and visibility.
Strong coastal winds (force 6 or more) are displayed for the first 24 hours of the inshore waters forecast.
Inshore waters and strong winds map
Marine forecasts disclaimer
In the UK, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) is responsible for the provision of Maritime Safety Information (MSI) to ships at sea, which includes the broadcast of warnings and forecasts. The Met Office initiates warnings and prepares routine forecasts for dissemination on behalf of the MCA.
Caution: The internet is not part of the Maritime Safety Information system and should never be relied upon as the only means to obtain the latest forecast and warning information. Access to the service may be interrupted or delayed from time to time, updates may also be delayed.
Please refer to GMDSS services, INMARSAT SafetyNET or international NAVTEX for the latest information. When using these web pages, always check that the page on your screen is not from your cache. Use the Refresh or Reload button if in any doubt.
