Coast and sea
General situation
An area of low pressure near Iceland will move away northeast. Strong winds affecting most waters will decrease for a time through Monday and into Tuesday, with showers for most areas.
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
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first near Cape Wrath.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in northwest, becoming slight in the inner Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers, squally in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, decreasing 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- To the west of Orkney, rough or very rough, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Showers, squally in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first in north.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, veering south later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate at first in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest backing south later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest, backing south later, 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5, but 6 or 7 at first in south.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Rain at first in south, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in south, backing southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later near North Foreland.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later, then mainly north 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly backing westerly 3 to 5, backing southwesterly 5 to 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, then northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest backing west, 3 to 5, then southwest 3 to 5 later, occasionally 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in west, occasionally high at first near Isles of Scilly, but slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing westerly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in west.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first near the Isles of Scilly, otherwise moderate or rough, but slight in lyme bay.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly, veering westerly or northwesterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly, backing southwesterly for a time, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight east of Anglesey.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 3 to 5, backing southwest 5 or 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate, occasionally slight, and smooth at times east of Anglesey.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West, backing southwest for a time, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, backing south or southwest 5 occasionally 6, then gradually veering west.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Fair, showers for a time.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 5 occasionally 6, backing and decreasing southwest 3 or 4, veering west 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair, then showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in east and south, but rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest, 4 to 6, backing south 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough until later in far north.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
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, veering westerly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough near Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Firth of Clyde.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, backing south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in west, occasionally moderate in east.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West, backing southwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally slight in sheltered east.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but very rough in south and north entrance.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first, backing south or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in south and far north, occasionally smooth east of skye.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first, backing south or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in west, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough, occasionally moderate east of Shetland.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Monday 24 Feb 2025 at 1200 UTC until Tuesday 25 Feb 2025 at 0000 UTC
General situation
A showery southwesterly flow covers Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in northwest
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming mainly rough in east
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0000 UTC on Tuesday 25 Feb until 1200 UTC on Tuesday 25 Feb
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8 decreasing west or southwest 5 or 6
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, but high at first in northwest
- Weather
- Showers
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 mid-channel, veering northwest after midnight.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, with a moderate swell, locally rather rough mid-channel at times.
- Weather
- Isolated showers, with a small risk of hail and thunder, merging into a longer spell of rain for a time between midnight and dawn.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, locally poor at times.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest to west 4 to 5, locally 3 at times, backing southwest to south 5 to 6 by dawn Wednesday, perhaps locally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate, with a low to moderate swell, generally increasing moderate to rough on Wednesday morning.
- Weather
- Isolated showers, dying out overnight, then rain spreading in from the northwest through Wednesday morning.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, locally poor at times.
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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