Coast and sea
General situation
Low pressure over the North Sea will bring rain or showers to most areas at first, wintry at times mainly in the north, and with gales across some northern and eastern waters. This low will move away east as a ridge of high pressure builds across the United Kingdom on Tuesday giving a brief but more settled spell of weather with lighter winds.
Issued at:
For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore for the period to
Inshore waters forecast and strong winds map
Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney (1)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 for a time at first, backing west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time except in Moray Firth, occasionally high at first to the north and west of Orkney.
- Weather
- Rain then wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough to the north and west of Orkney, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Wintry showers, mainly in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in north, veering northeasterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in Firth of Forth, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Rain or wintry showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeasterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in east.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest 5 to 7, increasing 7 or gale 8 for a time, veering northeast 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast veering southeast, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, veering northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps wintry.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, veering southeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Wintry showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times, occasionally gale 8 later in far north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps wintry in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6 veering easterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain in west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in west.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east 6 or 7, increasing 7 or gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeast 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but rough or very rough until later in west, becoming mainly slight later in lyme bay.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly east or southeast, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight at first in lyme bay, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 6 to gale 8, veering north or northwest 3 to 5, then southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in west, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east and very rough in far west.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5, veering east later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first near St Davids Head, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough at times in far west.
- Weather
- Rain in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in south.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, veering east 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers at first, perhaps wintry.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 4 or 5, increasing 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 or 7, decreasing 5 or 6, veering northeast 3 or 4, then east 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight.
- Weather
- Wintry showers, becoming fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East 4 or 5, veering east or southeast 6 or 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, veering north, then east or southeast later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough until later in far north, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Wintry showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough at times in far south.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 to 7, veering northerly, then easterly later, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth east and north of arran and rough near Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Wintry showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 in North Channel.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in northeast, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, veering north or northeast 4 to 6, then southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west and slight later in sheltered east.
- Weather
- Wintry showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 or 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in west.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later, then southeasterly 5 later in far south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in central areas, becoming rough or very rough for a time in north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or wintry showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first except in far south, otherwise easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough near northern entrance.
- Weather
- Wintry showers in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in north.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later, then southeasterly 5 later in far south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or wintry showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first except in far south, otherwise easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in north.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming north 7 to severe gale 9, then decreasing 6 or 7, backing west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming high for a time in north and west.
- Weather
- Rain then snow showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Monday 16 Feb 2026 at 1800 UTC until Tuesday 17 Feb 2026 at 0600 UTC
General situation
A cold front will move southeast over the area this evening with a strong to gale force northerly flow following. A ridge then builds from the southwest on Tuesday with winds easing.
Forecast
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming north 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 for a time
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high
- Weather
- Rain then snow showers
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Tuesday 17 Feb until 1800 UTC on Tuesday 17 Feb
- Wind
- North 6 to gale 8 backing west or northwest 4 to 6
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough in southeast
- Weather
- Snow showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West to northwest 6 to 7 with gusts to 45kt at first, veering north to northwest 4 to 5 after midnight, becoming variable 2 to 3 by midday, then becoming southeast 4 to 5 by dusk.
- Sea state
- Rough to very rough, decreasing slight with a moderate swell by midday.
- Weather
- Scattered showers, locally heavy, with a risk of hail and thunder at first rain spreading from the west from midday.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or perhaps poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 5, increasing 6 to 7 by midnight, veering south 3 to 4 by dawn, occasionally 5 Wednesday afternoon.
- Sea state
- Slight, with a moderate swell at first, increasing rather rough and locally rough or very rough in the north around midnight.
- Weather
- Rain, locally heavy, perhaps with mist or fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps poor or very poor.
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.
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.
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