Coast and sea
General situation
A low pressure centre currently in the Bay of Biscay moves northeastwards into the English Channel overnight, and then into the North Sea on Sunday. This brings strong winds and rain for a time to the eastern coastal waters, with gales expected through the Strait of Dover tomorrow. Elsewhere winds are lighter with scattered showers.
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
- Southeasterly backing northeasterly later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in east.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later in east.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later in east.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 or 5 at first in west, otherwise northerly backing westerly 5 to 7, then southeasterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later, but slight or moderate throughout in Moray Firth.
- Weather
- Rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed (2)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast backing northeast, 3 or 4, then north 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming mainly moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- North or northwest 5 to 7, backing southwest, then south later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate, occasionally rough at first in north, then becoming slight later in south.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby (3)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeast 3 or 4, backing north 5 or 6, then northwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Northwest backing southwest, then southeast later, 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Whitby to Gibraltar Point (4)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeast becoming cyclonic then west or northwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West backing southwest, then southeast later, 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later in south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Gibraltar Point to North Foreland (5)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally later near North Foreland, then southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in the Thames estuary.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly or southeasterly later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight, but mainly smooth throughout in the wash and Thames estuary.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Foreland to Selsey Bill (6)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeasterly becoming cyclonic, then southwesterly later, 4 to 6, but increasing 7 or gale 8 for a time later in east.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor until later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly or southeasterly later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in east, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis (7)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5, backing northwest 5 to 7, then west 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate for a time in far south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor until later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West backing southwest, then south later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly (8)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeast backing northwest, then west later, 3 to 5, but increasing 6 or 7 for a time in Lyme Bay.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate to the west of the Lizard peninsula, elsewhere smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far south.
- Weather
- Showers, with rain at first in Lyme Bay.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first in Lyme Bay.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West 3 or 4, backing southwest, then south later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in east and rough later to the west of land's end.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel (9)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeast backing north, then west later, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later in Bristol Channel and 3 later elsewhere.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight in the Bristol Channel.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West backing southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in the Bristol Channel, elsewhere slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel (10)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeast backing north, then southwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first near St David's Head.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, backing south 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway (11)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeast backing west later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West backing southwest 4 or 5, then south 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Isle of Man (12)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Northeast 3 or 4 backing west then southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, backing south 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough (13)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5, then south 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later, occasionally rough later in far south.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel (14)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable, mainly northeasterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Mainly smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 or 5, then southerly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming mainly moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point (15)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
The Minch (16)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 throughout in south, otherwise variable becoming southeasterly 2 to 4, then easterly or northeasterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate in northern entrance.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 or 5 at first in north, otherwise variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in south, but slight or moderate in north.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath (17)
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 throughout in south, otherwise variable becoming southeasterly 2 to 4, then easterly or northeasterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 or 5 at first in north, otherwise variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in south and rough in north.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shetland Isles (18)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- Southeast backing northeast, 3 to 5, then increasing 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, rain later in southeast.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later in southeast.
For Coastal areas up to 60 nautical miles from Lerwick, Shetland (18)
Strong wind warning
Valid Saturday 27 Apr 2024 at 1800 UTC until Sunday 28 Apr 2024 at 0600 UTC
General situation
Weak ridge of high pressure will decline on Saturday night. Northeasterly flow will freshen on Sunday as low pressure approaches from the south.
Forecast
- Wind
- Southeast backing northeast 3 to 5
- Sea state
- Moderate, but slight close to shetland
- Weather
- Mainly fair
- Visibility
- Mainly good
Outlook for 12 Hours from 0600 UTC on Sunday 28 Apr until 1800 UTC on Sunday 28 Apr
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northeast
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight close to shetland at first
- Weather
- Mainly fair, rain later in south and east
- Visibility
- Mainly good, becoming moderate occasionally poor later in east and south.
Channel Islands (19)
Strong winds are forecast
24 hour forecast:
- Wind
- North to northeast 4 to 5, becoming 5 to 6, locally 7 by midnight and then backing northwest overnight decreasing 4 to 5 around dawn, backing west 3 to 4 by mid-morning.
- Sea state
- Smooth to slight with a low swell, increasing moderate to rather rough overnight, decreasing slight to moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, locally heavy with a risk of thunder, clearing around dawn, then scattered showers fair by afternoon.
- Visibility
- Moderate to good, locally poor at times.
Outlook for the following 24 hours:
- Wind
- West to southwest 3 to 4, locally 5 in the northwest overnight backing south to southeast by midday.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in the north, with a low swell later.
- 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.
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