Coast and sea
General situation
A slow-moving and complex area of low pressure, over southern areas of the United Kingdom, will persist into the weekend. Winds will decrease light at times.
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)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast 4 or 5, decreasing 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast, becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Fog patches for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or northeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in south.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or northeast, becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northeast, becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair then fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first in north.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate for a time in north, otherwise slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches, showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming north or northeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches, showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming northerly or northwesterly, 2 to 4, increasing 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, fog patches for a time in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in east.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first near headlands.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast, becoming variable for a time, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth in Lyme Bay.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or southeast, backing north or northeast, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 near the Isles of Scilly.
- Sea state
- Moderate for a time in far west, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far west.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery for a time.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable, becoming north or northeast, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later near St Davids Head.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northeast 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near St David's head.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery for a time.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northeast 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later near St David's head.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery for a time.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable, becoming north, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later near the Mull of Galloway.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northwest, veering northeast, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming north or northwest 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Rathlin Island.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable, becoming north or northwest, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good becoming moderate, occasionally poor.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in the North Channel.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable, becoming northerly or northwesterly, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate in the North Channel.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good becoming moderate, occasionally.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northerly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in shelter.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly, backing northwesterly,3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in shelter.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far south and in far north.
- Weather
- Showers then mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North, becoming variable later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far south and in far north.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming north, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers then mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in west, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, veering south 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Thursday 16 May 2024 at 1800 UTC until Friday 17 May 2024 at 0600 UTC
General situation
A southeasterly flow will persist across Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southeast 4 or 5
- Sea state
- Moderate, but slight northwest of Shetland
- Weather
- Fair
- Visibility
- Good
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Friday 17 May until 1800 UTC on Friday 17 May
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5 but becoming variable 3 or less in far west later
- Sea state
- Moderate, but slight northwest of Shetland
- Weather
- Fair
- Visibility
- Good
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast to east 2 to 4, locally variable at times, becoming east to northeast by Friday afternoon.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Isolated showers, mainly near French coasts, dying out for a time overnight.
- Visibility
- Good or very good, locally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East to northeast 2 to 4, locally variable at times, becoming mainly northerly by Saturday afternoon.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight with a low swell later.
- Weather
- Isolated showers, mainly near French coasts on Friday afternoon rain with the risk of mist patches, in the north of the area by Saturday afternoon.
- Visibility
- Mainly good, perhaps locally poor in the north later.
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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