Coast and sea
General situation
The British Inshore Waters are currently lying in a mainly northwesterly airflow. A weakening cold front is moving southeastwards across England and Wales and is bringing an interval of rain or drizzle to these areas. A transient ridge of high pressure will follow from the west, bringing settled conditions for a while, before the next Atlantic frontal system spreads rain eastwards across Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England during Sunday night and Monday.
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
- West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 2 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first to the west of Orkney, otherwise slight or moderate in north and smooth or slight in south.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or northwest 2 to 4 backing west or southwest 3 to 5, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight or moderate, but smooth until later in Moray Firth and occasionally rough later to the west and north of Orkney.
- Weather
- Fair then rain, then showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, then veering northwest later, occasionally 6 later near Rattray Head.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate for a time.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first in north, becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, mainly later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming west 3 or 4, veering northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate for a time.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming north or northwest 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then fair, then showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming west or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers then fair, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain or showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers then fair, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain or showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate for a time.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming westerly or northwesterly 2 to 4, then backing southwesterly 4 to 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 2 to 4, becoming variable 2 or less for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain for a time at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 2 to 4, backing west 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 2 to 4 veering north or northwest 3 to 5, but becoming variable 2 for a time in Lyme Bay.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight to the east of Lizard Point, slight or moderate further west.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle for a time at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 2 to 4 backing west or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight to the east of Lizard Point, slight or moderate further west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or northwest 2 to 4 veering north or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in west, smooth or slight in east.
- Weather
- Drizzle and fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, becoming good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 or 4 backing west 4 or 5, then veering northwest again later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North 3 to 5 backing northwest 3 or 4, becoming variable mainly southwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first in south and smooth in north.
- Weather
- Drizzle at first in south, otherwise showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first in south.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 or 4, veering northwest 4 or 5 for a time at first, then veering north or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair then occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5 backing west 4 or 5, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 2 to 4 backing west 3 to 5, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair, then rain and drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less in far south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in north, smooth or slight in south.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 at first in far south, otherwise westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, veering northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in north, smooth or slight in south.
- Weather
- Rain at times, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, decreasing 2 later in far north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in Firth of Clyde and elsewhere in far north, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 2 to 4 backing southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in Firth of Clyde and elsewhere in far north, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor for a time.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, then backing west later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5 veering northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor for a time.
The Minch (16)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight except in far north.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5 veering northwest 4 or 5, backing west 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly smooth or slight, but moderate in far north.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first except between Barra and Canna, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5 veering northwest 4 to 6, backing west 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough to the west of the Outer Hebrides.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good.
Shetland Isles (18)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 or 4 veering northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate in north, west and south, slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Sunday 30 Jun 2024 at 0000 UTC until Sunday 30 Jun 2024 at 1200 UTC
General situation
Trough across your area at first, clearing to the east around noon Sunday
Forecast
- Wind
- West or southwest veering northwest, 3 to 5
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east
- Weather
- Rain or showers, occasional fog patches
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Sunday 30 Jun until 0000 UTC on Monday 01 Jul
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 4, backing westerly by mid-morning, locally variable 1 to 3 for a time, veering northwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, with a low swell.
- Weather
- Patchy light rain or drizzle, with mist and a risk of fog in the northwest by dawn, spreading southeast, clearing by late afternoon.
- Visibility
- Good, locally moderate to very poor after dawn.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 4, occasionally 5 Monday afternoon.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in the west later, with a low swell throughout.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
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.
Caution: The internet is not part of the Maritime Safety Information system and should never be relied upon as the only means to obtain the latest forecast and warning information. Access to the service may be interrupted or delayed from time to time, updates may also be delayed.
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