Coast and sea
General situation
A deep area of low pressure centred to the northeast of the United Kingdom will move southeast to Denmark and Germany over the next couple of days, bringing squally showers and gales or severe gales across the inshore waters and storm force winds for some northern waters. Winds will then ease for all areas on Monday, but Atlantic fronts will move in from the west with further outbreaks rain 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
- Westerly veering northerly or northwesterly, 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first in north, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- To the north and west of Orkney, high occasionally very high at first, but elsewhere, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, backing southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- To the north and west of Orkney, very rough or high becoming rough or very rough, but elsewhere, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- Showers then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West veering northwest later, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in Firth of Forth, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west 4 or 5, then southwest 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first near Rattray Head, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers then occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming rough later, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5, backing southwest later.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers then occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West veering northwest later, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5, backing southwest later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough, then slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly veering northwesterly later, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in northeast.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 7 or gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6, backing southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly veering northwesterly, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 7 or gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6, backing westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West veering northwest, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5, then backing west 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate, then smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high west of the Lizard, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 or 7, decreasing 4 or 5, backing west later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough at first to the west of the Lizard, otherwise moderate or rough, becoming slight later east of the Lizard.
- Weather
- Showers then rain or drizzle later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in Bristol Channel and high in far southwest.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough, then slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers then rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers until later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor until later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West 7 to severe gale 9, veering northwest 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time.
- Weather
- Showers until later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, backing west or southwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly veering northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 in north and perhaps storm 10 later in south.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high in far north, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5, then backing southwesterly.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in north, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly 7 to severe gale 9, veering northwesterly gale 8 to storm 10, decreasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in North Channel, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5, then backing southwesterly.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in North Channel, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later in north.
- Weather
- Showers then rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest gale 8 to storm 10, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally rough in east and very high in northwest.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 or 4, then backing south 5 or 6, veering west or southwest later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in west, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers then rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest gale 8 to storm 10, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high near northern and southern entrances, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, backing west 3 or 4, then south or southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first near entrances, becoming slight or moderate in central areas.
- Weather
- Showers then rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northwest gale 8 to storm 10, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- High or very high, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, backing west 3 or 4, then south or southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers then rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly veering northwesterly, severe gale 9 or storm 10 at first in south otherwise 6 to gale 8, veering northerly 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first in southwest and rough in sheltered east.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Sunday 22 Dec 2024 at 0000 UTC until Sunday 22 Dec 2024 at 1200 UTC
General situation
A deep low northeast of Shetland Saturday night will move east overnight before moving south along the Norwegian coast and into NW Denmark during Sunday.
Forecast
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming north or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, but severe gale 9 or storm 10 in south at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high in southwest at first. moderate or rough in sheltered waters east of shetland.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Sunday 22 Dec until 0000 UTC on Monday 23 Dec
- Wind
- Northerly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally 6 west later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, but moderate or rough in sheltered waters east of shetland.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West to northwest 7 to gale 8, occasionally with gusts to 55kt until late afternoon, decreasing 6 to 7 during the evening.
- Sea state
- Rough to very rough.
- Weather
- Rain and drizzle confined to the south, soon clearing occasional showers by dawn, locally heavy with a risk of hail, becoming isolated during the afternoon.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor at times.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to 7, decreasing 5 to 6 during Monday morning, further decreasing 4 to 5 by midday, backing west to southwest later.
- Sea state
- Rather rough to rough, locally very rough at first, decreasing slight to moderate Monday afternoon.
- Weather
- Rain and drizzle spreading eastwards by late afternoon Monday.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or 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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