Coast and sea
General situation
An area of high pressure will persist across central and southern parts of the United Kingdom through the period, with a good deal of fair weather and light winds expected for most areas. However there will be a strong west to southwesterly airflow across northern Scotland on Thursday evening and Thursday night, with gales at first in the far north.
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
- West or southwest 6 to gale 8 veering northwest 4 to 6, then north or northeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- To the west and north of Orkney, rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough, elsewhere slight or moderate, but becoming smooth in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Rain at times, but fair at first in south and showers later in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northeast 2 to 4 veering southeast 4 to 6, then south or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first to the west and north of Orkney, otherwise mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then rain or drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, veering north or northeast 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Firth of Forth.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast 3 or 4 veering southeast 3 to 5, then veering south or southwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Firth of Forth.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly, veering northeasterly later in north, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in far north.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle later, mainly in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly at first in south, otherwise northeasterly veering southeasterly, 3 or 4, then veering southerly later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering west 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in south.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming east 3 or 4, then veering southeast later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate in north.
- Weather
- Drizzle for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 2 to 4 veering westerly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in north, veering northwesterly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 2 to 4 veering northeasterly 3 to 5, then veering easterly or southeasterly later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate near eastern Norfolk.
- Weather
- Fair then occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable, becoming northwesterly later, 3 or less, occasionally 4 in east.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 2 or 3 veering easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast 2 or 3 becoming variable 2 or less, then north 2 or 3 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North 2 or 3 veering east or northeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- East or southeast 2 to 4 becoming variable 2 or less, then east or northeast 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate near the Isles of Scilly and smooth in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in west.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 or 4, occasionally variable 2 at first, increasing 5 at times later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate near the Isles of Scilly, elsewhere smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming east 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming west or southwest 3 or 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, veering west or northwest 2 or 3 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest becoming variable, 3 or less, then becoming south or southeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first in south, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming southeast 2 to 4, then veering south later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Moderate in far north, but elsewhere smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming south or southeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in far north, but elsewhere smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate near the Mull of Kintyre, but elsewhere smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first near the Mull of Kintyre, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in north and 3 in south, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight in shelter.
- Weather
- Drizzle at times, mainly in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming southerly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later in north.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight or moderate, but smooth or slight to the east of Islay and Jura.
- Weather
- Drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, veering northerly 3 to 5, then veering northeasterly later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in far north, otherwise slight or moderate, but becoming smooth or slight to the east of Skye.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, becoming good later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast 3 or 4 veering south 3 to 5, then southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight to the east and south of Skye, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then rain or drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or good occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, veering northerly 3 to 5, then veering northeasterly later.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate or rough, but very rough at first in far north and slight or moderate later between Barra and Canna.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, becoming good later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast 3 or 4 veering south 3 to 5, then southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first in north, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then rain or drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or good occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough until later in north, west and south, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, becoming wintry later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Thursday 31 Oct 2024 at 1800 UTC until Friday 01 Nov 2024 at 0600 UTC
General situation
A strong southwesterly airstream affects Shetland Waters, becoming northwesterly overnight as a cold front moves south over the area.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 for a time
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, but moderate just east of Shetland
- Weather
- Rain then showers
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Friday 01 Nov until 1800 UTC on Friday 01 Nov
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7 veering north 4 or 5
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, but moderate just east of Shetland
- Weather
- Wintry showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 2 to 4, becoming variable, becoming east to northeast by Friday.
- Sea state
- Smooth, locally slight.
- Weather
- Local mist or fog patches in the south of the area, becoming generally widespread overnight.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, locally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East to northeast 2 to 4, locally 5 mid-channel later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Local mist or fog patches, mainly in the south of the area, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, locally very poor, becoming good 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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