Coast and sea
General situation
A ridge of high pressure extending across the southeast of the United Kingdom from the Continent at first on Tuesday, will be replaced by areas of low pressure gradually moving in from the northwest and southwest, bringing more unsettled conditions with rain or showers to most of the inshore waters. Winds will be mainly light or moderate across all areas over the next couple of days.
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
- Westerly or southwesterly, becoming variable in north, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in south.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in Moray Firth, otherwise slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first near north Orkney.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate to the north and west of Orkney, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly, becoming variable at times in north, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in south and moderate near Rattray Head.
- Weather
- Showers, mainly in north.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in south.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Rain at first in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first in south.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in south.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest veering west or northwest, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in south.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southerly or southeasterly 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly becoming variable, 2 to 4, becoming northwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in east.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeasterly backing northeasterly, then northwesterly later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast 2 to 4, backing east or northeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- East or northeast, backing northwest later, 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth near shore.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast, backing east or northeast later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight in lyme bay, otherwise moderate, becoming mainly slight except in far west.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeast backing north, then west later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate west of the Lizard peninsula, otherwise slight, occasionally smooth in lyme bay.
- Weather
- Rain at first, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- South or southeast, becoming variable later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 until later near St Davids Head.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Bristol Channel, becoming mainly slight later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, mainly later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in west and smooth in Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 in north and also later elsewhere.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight near great orme head and becoming smooth or slight later elsewhere.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 at first in south, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight slight or moderate, becoming slight.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first .
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming west or southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate in far north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West or southwest, becoming variable for a time, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate in far north, smooth or slight elsewhere.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly, becoming variable for a time, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Mull of Kintyre.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in northeast.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight east of islay and jura, otherwise moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough at first in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable, mainly southwesterly at first, 2 to 4, becoming southerly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight east of islay and jura, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
The Minch (16)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight near skye.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in central areas.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in far south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shetland Isles (18)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southwest becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in north and west.
- Weather
- Fair then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Valid Tuesday 21 Jan 2025 at 0000 UTC until Tuesday 21 Jan 2025 at 1200 UTC
General situation
An area of low pressure will develop over Shetland Waters.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southwest 2 to 4
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough
- Weather
- Mainly fair, rain later
- Visibility
- Mainly good, occasionally moderate or poor later.
Outlook for 12 Hours from 1200 UTC on Tuesday 21 Jan until 0000 UTC on Wednesday 22 Jan
- Wind
- Variable, mainly southwest, 2 to 4, becoming north later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, rough in northwest at first.
- Weather
- Rain
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Channel Islands (19)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 4, perhaps locally 5 at times.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, with a low swell.
- Weather
- Mist patches and a risk of fog patches, especially near the french coast until midday occasional rain from mid-evening.
- Visibility
- Good, locally moderate to poor, perhaps locally very poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southeast 2 to 4, becoming variable 1 to 3, backing north to northwest 3 to 4 during the afternoon, perhaps locally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, with a low and diminishing swell.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, clearing late evening to isolated showers risk of local mist or fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps locally poor or very 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.
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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