Coast and sea

Inshore waters and strong winds

General situation

An area of high pressure will build across the United Kingdom through the period giving generally settled conditions. However fronts will edge into Scotland on a strengthening southwesterly airflow here, with a risk of gales in the far north from Wednesday night.

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
Westerly backing southwesterly, 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later, occasionally gale 8 later in north.
Sea state
Slight or moderate occasionally smooth in south, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in far north.
Weather
Occasional rain in north.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate in north.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering northwesterly 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later in north.
Sea state
To the west and north of Orkney, moderate or rough occasionally very rough, but elsewhere slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in east.
Weather
Fair at first in south, otherwise occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 or 4, increasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in north and also later elsewhere.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest, veering west or northwest later, 5 to 7.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later near Rattray Head.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable, mainly west, 3 or less, becoming southwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Slight.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times near Berwick upon Tweed.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Berwick upon Tweed.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less, becoming southwest 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally smooth in south.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally smooth near shore.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less, becoming southwesterly 3 or 4 later in north.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 3 or less until later in south, otherwise westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Easterly or northeasterly 2 to 4.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Easterly becoming variable, 3 or less, occasionally 4 later.
Sea state
Smooth occasionally slight.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Northeast 3 or 4.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
East or northeast 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
East or northeast 3 or 4.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally smooth in east and moderate in west.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
East or northeast 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable, mainly east, 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally moderate in south and smooth in Bristol Channel.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable, mainly east, 3 or less.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally smooth in north.
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 southwesterly 3 or 4 later in north.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Variable 3 or less throughout in south, otherwise westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, veering northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Smooth occasionally slight.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less, becoming southwesterly 3 or 4 in north and also later in south, occasionally 5 later in north.
Sea state
Smooth occasionally slight.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Isle of Man (12)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West or southwest 3 or less, increasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwest, veering west later, 3 or 4.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less, becoming south or southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far northwest.
Weather
Drizzle later in north.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
West or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Mainly moderate in far north, otherwise smooth or slight.
Weather
Occasional drizzle.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less, becoming southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later near Mull of Kintyre.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate near Mull of Kintyre, otherwise smooth or slight.
Weather
Drizzle at times.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Variable 3 or less, becoming southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far northwest.
Weather
Drizzle at times.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly, veering northerly later in north, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
Weather
Drizzle at times, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

The Minch (16)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Westerly 3 to 5, backing southwesterly 5 or 6, increasing 7 at times later, perhaps gale 8 later in north.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first near skye and rough later near northern entrance.
Weather
Drizzle later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwesterly 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 in north, veering northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough near northern entrance.
Weather
Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
Westerly 3 to 5, backing southwesterly 5 or 6, increasing 7 at times later, perhaps gale 8 later in north.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in far northwest.
Weather
Drizzle later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
Southwesterly 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 in north, veering northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Rough occasionally very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Shetland Isles (18)

Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast:

Wind
West 5 or 6, backing southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate in sheltered east, otherwise rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Fair then rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)

Valid Wednesday 30 Oct 2024 at 0600 UTC until Wednesday 30 Oct 2024 at 1800 UTC

General situation

High pressure to the south will weaken, allowing a front to move northeast across Shetland waters from Wednesday afternoon.

Forecast

Wind
Westerly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 in north at first, backing southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in southeast.
Weather
Fair, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Wednesday 30 Oct until 0600 UTC on Thursday 31 Oct

Wind
Southwest 3 or 4, soon increasing 6 or 7, later increasing 7 to gale 8.
Sea state
Rough, moderate in southeast becoming very rough west later.
Weather
Rain, some heavy.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate.

Channel Islands (19)

24 hour forecast:

Wind
East to northeast 2 to 3, increasing 3 to 4 by during the afternoon, locally 5 for a time, veering easterly later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, with a low swell.
Weather
Risk of a light shower mid-channel risk of mist or fog patches near the french coasts at first.
Visibility
Good or very good, risk locally moderate or poor at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind
East to southeast 3 to 4, decreasing 2 to 3 by midday Thursday, becoming variable 1 to 3 towards midnight.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, with a low swell.
Weather
Risk of mist or fog patches near the french coasts until mid-morning.
Visibility
Good or very good, risk locally 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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