Coast and sea
General situation
A declining ridge of high pressure, covering southern areas of the United Kingdom, will move away southeastwards. An Atlantic frontal system follows during Wednesday, with a strong westerly airflow developing.
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 backing south for a time, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in northwest, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming smooth for a time in the inner Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Rain at times, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, veering west 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth for a time in shelter.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest, 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly for a time, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly or southwesterly, 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly, veering northwesterly for a time, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest, veering northwest for a time, 4 ot 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest or southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth for a time in east, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally rough later near the Isles of Scilly.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest backing southwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first near the Isles of Scilly.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first in east.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest, backing southwest later, 4 ot 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in the inner Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate becoming 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 veering northwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in north.
- Weather
- Fair then occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good becoming moderate, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest, backing west or southwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest veering northwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
- Weather
- Showers then rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest, backing west or southwest, 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, veering west or northwest 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain and drizzle, becoming mainly fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest, backing west or southwest, 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, veering west or northwest 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- In far north, moderate occasionally rough later, otherwise slight, occasionally smooth at first in south.
- Weather
- Rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough in far north, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- 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
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, veering westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6 later, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate near the Mull of Kintyre, otherwise slight, occasionally smooth at first.
- Weather
- Rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times in shelter.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, veering west 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain, squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in shelter.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, veering west 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far south.
- Weather
- Rain, squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, then west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, veering west 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate at first in shelter, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain, squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, then west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West, backing south, 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in east, otherwise moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Wednesday 03 Jul 2024 at 0000 UTC until Wednesday 03 Jul 2024 at 1200 UTC
General situation
A freshening, mainly southerly airstream affects Shetland waters ahead of an approaching Atlantic frontal system.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4 backing south 4 or 5
- Sea state
- Rough at first in west, otherwise moderate, but slight in sheltered eastern waters
- Weather
- Rain then mainly fair
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Wednesday 03 Jul until 0000 UTC on Thursday 04 Jul
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in west, veering westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5 later
- Sea state
- Moderate, but slight in sheltered eastern waters, becoming rough in far west later
- Weather
- Mainly fair then rain
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West to northwest 2 to 4, backing west to southwest 4 to 5 by mid-morning, perhaps occasionally 6 by evening, veering west to northwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight with a low swell at first, increasing moderate early evening, and rather rough in the west later.
- Weather
- Rain and drizzle at times from midday, risk of mist patches later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West to northwest 4 to 5, perhaps occasionally 6 until dawn, backing west to southwest later.
- Sea state
- Moderate to rather rough, decreasing slight to moderate with a low swell later.
- Weather
- Risk of an isolated shower.
- 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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