Inshore Waters Forecast

The inshore waters forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency

For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore from Tuesday 24 January 2012 at 0001 UTC until Wednesday 25 January 2012 at 0000 UTC

General Situation at 0001 UTC on Tue 24 Jan 2012

Low pressure to the north and high pressure to the south of the British Isles will maintain the run of unsettled and at times windy weather throughout this forecast period.

Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney - Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast: Westerly 4 or 5, backing southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7. Rough becoming moderate in north, slight or moderate in east. Fair then occasional rain. Good, becoming moderate, occasionally poor.

Outlook:  Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time in east, veering westerly or southwesterly later. Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough. Occasional rain, showers later. Moderate or poor, becoming mainly good.

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed - Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast: Westerly 4, backing southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in north. Slight, occasionally moderate in north. Fair then occasional rain. Good, occasional moderate.

Outlook:  Southerly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time in north, veering westerly or southwesterly later. Slight or moderate, becoming rough in far north. Occasional rain. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Berwick upon Tweed to Whitby

24 hour forecast: Northwest backing south or southeast 4 or 5, decreasing 3 for a time. Slight or moderate. Fair then occasional rain. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook:  South or southeast 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7, veering west or southwest later. Slight or moderate. Occasional rain. Moderate or good.

Whitby to Gibraltar Point

24 hour forecast: Northwest backing south or southeast 4 or 5, decreasing 3 for a time. Slight or moderate. Fair then rain. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook:  Mainly south 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 later. Slight or moderate. Occasional rain. Moderate or good.

Gibraltar Point to North Foreland

24 hour forecast: Northwesterly backing southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5, decreasing 3 for a time. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in Thames estuary. Fair then occasional rain. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook:  Southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6. Mainly slight. Occasional rain. Moderate or good.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill - Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast: Northwesterly 3 or 4, backing southerly 4 or 5, then veering westerly 5 or 6 later. Slight or moderate. Fair then occasional rain. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook:  Westerly backing southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later, decreasing 4 for a time. Slight or moderate. Occasional rain or drizzle. Moderate or good.

Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis - Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast: Northwest 3 or 4, backing west or southwest 5 or 6. Slight or moderate. Fair then occasional rain or drizzle. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook:  West 5 or 6, backing south or southwest 6 or 7. Slight or moderate. Occasional rain or drizzle. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly - Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast: West or southwest 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6. Slight or moderate. Occasional rain or drizzle. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook:  Southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough. Occasional rain. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lands End to St Davids Head including the Bristol Channel - Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast: Southwest 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later. Occasional rain or drizzle. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook:  Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later. Moderate or rough. Occasional rain or drizzle. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

St Davids Head to Great Orme Head including St Georges Channel - Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast: Southwest 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate. Occasional rain or drizzle. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook:  South or southwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time. Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough. Occasional rain or drizzle. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway - Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast: West 3 or 4, backing south or southeast 5 or 6, veering southwest 4 or 5 later. Slight or moderate. Occasional rain or drizzle. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook:  South or southwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time. Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough. Occasional rain or drizzle. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Isle of Man - Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast: Southwest backing south or southeast 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6, then veering southwest 4 or 5. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate. Fair at first, then occasional rain. Good, becoming moderate, occasionally poor.

Outlook:  Southwest backing south, 4 or 5, increasing 7 or gale 8, then veering west or southwest 5 or 6 later. Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough. Occasional rain. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough - Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast: South or southeast 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6, veering west 3 or 4 for a time. Smooth or slight in southeast, moderate or rough in north. Rain at times. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook:  South veering southwest later, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time. Slight or moderate in east, moderate or rough in north. Rain at times, squally wintry showers later. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel - Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast: Southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6, veering westerly 3 or 4 for a time. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north. Rain at times. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook:  Southerly veering southwesterly later, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north. Rain at times, showers later. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point - Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast: South or southeast 3 or 4, increasing 5 to 7, veering west 4 or 5 for a time. Slight in shelter, otherwise moderate or rough. Rain at times. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook:  South veering west or southwest later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8. Slight in shelter, otherwise moderate or rough. Rain at times, squally wintry showers later. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

The Minch - Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast: South or southeast 3 or 4, increasing 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 or 5 for a time. Slight or moderate. Rain at times. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook:  South veering west or southwest later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8. Slight or moderate, becoming rough in south and far north. Rain at times, squally wintry showers later. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath - Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast: South or southeast 3 or 4, increasing 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 or 5 for a time. Rough, becoming moderate for a time. Rain at times. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook:  South veering west or southwest later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8. Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough. Rain at times, squally wintry showers later. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Channel Islands - Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast: West to northwest 2 to 4, becoming generally west by dawn and increasing 5 or 6 by midday, perhaps locally 7 in the north, decreasing 4 or 5 in the evening. Slight to moderate, becoming rather rough in the morning, perhaps locally rough in the afternoon. Occasional rain or drizzle, becoming more persistent in the morning with some coastal fog patches. Moderate to poor, locally very poor in any fog.

Outlook:  West 4 or 5, locally 3 in the south, backing southwest by morning, further backing south late afternoon and increasing 4 to 6. Rather rough, becoming mainly moderate by morning. Patchy drizzle dying out overnight outbreaks of rain late evening. Moderate to poor, becoming moderate to good by morning.