Coast and sea
General situation
Deep areas of low pressure tracking northeast near Iceland will bring a strong to gale force southwesterly airflow across much of the United Kingdom. However moderate winds are expected in many southern and eastern waters on Saturday. Severe gales are then likely to develop across some northern and western waters during Sunday, with a risk of storms later in the northwest.
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
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in northwest, backing southeasterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in south, moderate or rough in north, occasionally very rough in far northwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly, veering southwesterly later, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate at first in south, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north and east.
- Weather
- Rain, squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 or 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north.
- Weather
- Rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South veering southwest, 3 to 5, backing south 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 5 or 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5, backing southerly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in east.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in far east.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming mainly rough later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 or 4, backing south 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, backing south 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far west.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first in east, otherwise rough or very rough, occasionally high near Isles of Scilly.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southerly 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later near St Davids Head.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in Bristol Channel and very rough in far southwest.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 at first in east and severe gale 9 at first near St Davids Head, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, rough or very rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- 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
- South or southwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate until later in north, otherwise moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time in west.
- Weather
- Fair then rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, backing southeasterly 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later near Mull of Galloway.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in southeast and rough later near Mull of Galloway.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in north, veering southwesterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate occasionally rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time in north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Isle of Man (12)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, backing south 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South 6 or 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 for a time, veering southwest 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly 7 or gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in northwest, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 in east, veering southwesterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in east.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
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 4 to 6, backing southerly 7 or gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 at first, veering southwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times in south, backing southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate in east and very rough in west.
- Weather
- Squally showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly veering southwesterly, 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 6 at times in south and east.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in shelter, becoming high at times in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
The Minch (16)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing south or southeast 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight just northeast of skye, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far southwest.
- Weather
- Squally showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast veering southwest, 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing south or southeast 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- South or southeast veering southwest, 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough east of Shetland.
- Weather
- Showers in west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Saturday 22 Feb 2025 at 0600 UTC until Saturday 22 Feb 2025 at 1800 UTC
General situation
Deep low complex lies near Iceland and maintains the brisk southwesterly airflow.
Forecast
- Wind
- South or southwest 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 in west at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough, but rough in lee shelter of shetland
- Weather
- Isolated showers west.
- Visibility
- Mainly good, perhaps moderate at times.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1800 UTC on Saturday 22 Feb until 0600 UTC on Sunday 23 Feb
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough. becoming moderate in lee shelter of shetland later.
- Weather
- Isolated showers west.
- Visibility
- Mainly good, perhaps moderate at times.
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West to southwest 3 to 4, locally variable 1 to 2 in the far south of the area this afternoon, backing southwest 2 to 4 this evening, then southerly 4 to 5 overnight.
- Sea state
- Slight with a low to moderate swell.
- Weather
- Isolated showers, mainly near the french coast mist and fog patches developing in the southeast of the area after midnight.
- Visibility
- Good, locally moderate, locally poor or very poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 5, increasing 5 to 6 by midday, then 6 to 7 by evening, veering southwest 4 to 6 overnight.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate with a low to moderate swell, increasing rather rough to rough in the northwest during the afternoon.
- Weather
- Mist and fog patches in the southeast until early afternoon occasional rain from evening, locally heavy later.
- Visibility
- Good, locally poor or very poor at first, occasionally moderate later.
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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