Coast and sea
General situation
High pressure across the southeast, giving quiet conditions and a few fog patches for some southern waters at first, will decline, as low pressure moves in near the north of Scotland bringing a strengthening westerly or southwesterly flow across the inshore waters and with a risk of gales in the north, along with rain or showers for many areas.
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
- Southwesterly, veering westerly later, 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first, then increasing gale 8 at times in north.
- Sea state
- In north, moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, in south, slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- In north, moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, in south, slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest, veering west later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate except near shore.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate except near shore.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate except near shore.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West, backing southwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in north.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5, occasionally 2 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northwesterly, then backing southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near northeast Norfolk and later in south.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly, veering northwesterly later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in west.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in west.
- Weather
- Rain for a time later, fog patches until later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor until later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly, backing southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first and poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest, backing southwest later, 4 to 6, decreasing 2 to 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest, veering northwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in east, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Fog patches at first, then occasional rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first and poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest, backing southwest later, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east, occasionally smooth in lyme bay.
- Weather
- Showers, drizzle and fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate to very poor later.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering west or northwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough at times in west.
- Weather
- Rain for a time, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest backing southwest, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough in west.
- Weather
- Showers, drizzle and fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate to very poor later.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, veering westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches at first, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing southwesterly, 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain and fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate to very poor later.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in north.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches, then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West backing southwest, 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 for a time later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering west 6, then west or northwest 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain at first, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 5, backing southwest 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering west, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough mainly in north, becoming rough or very rough later in far north.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West, backing southwest for a time, 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first and gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in far north, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in North Channel.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly, backing southwesterly for a time, 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first and gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough near Mull of Kintyre, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 at times in east.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, but mainly moderate in good shelter in east.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 5 to 7, backing southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in shelter.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering west, 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough southwest of skye and in far north.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7, backing south or southwest 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic then west, 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough except just north and east of skye.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering west, 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7, backing south or southwest 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic then west, 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in far west.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest, veering west later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough except in sheltered east, occasionally high later in west and north.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Thursday 27 Mar 2025 at 1800 UTC until Friday 28 Mar 2025 at 0600 UTC
General situation
An area of low pressure will move east or northeast, crossing the Faeroes on Thursday night before passing to the north of Shetland on Friday.
Forecast
- Wind
- South veering southwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough in west
- Weather
- Rain then showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Friday 28 Mar until 1800 UTC on Friday 28 Mar
- Wind
- Southwest veering west 6 to gale 8
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in north and west
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 2 to 4, locally variable 1 to 3 at times, backing southwest 3 to 4 by midnight, increasing 4 to 5 by dawn tomorrow, veering northwest during the morning, increasing 5 to 6 by mid-afternoon.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, with a low swell, increasing slight to moderate by midday tomorrow, locally rather rough.
- Weather
- Mist or fog banks, clearing overnight rain in the northwest by dawn, spreading southeast, clearing by midday risk of isolated showers developing.
- Visibility
- Moderate to good, locally poor or very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 6, decreasing 4 to 5 by midnight, backing southwest 2 to 4 by midday Saturday.
- Sea state
- Moderate to rather rough, decreasing slight to moderate with a low swell by dawn Saturday.
- Weather
- Risk of isolated showers until around midnight.
- Visibility
- Good, perhaps occasionally moderate.
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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