Coast and sea
The general synopsis for UK
At 071200UTC, low 66 north 31 west 961 moving slowly northwestwards and losing its identity by 081200UTC. New low expected 64 north 34 west 984 by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 in east, elsewhere southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, but veering northwesterly 3 to 5 later in west.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in west, otherwise rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough, becoming rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough, becoming rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- High at first except in far south, otherwise very rough.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, then becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 or 5, backing southerly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- High, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
East Northern Section
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 except in southwest.
- Sea state
- High at first in north, otherwise very rough.
- Weather
- Squally sleet or snow showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor.
West Northern Section
In far northwest
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
In the rest of the area
- Wind
- Westerly 7 to severe gale 9 at first in far west between 59 north and 60 north, otherwise southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Squally sleet or snow showers, thundery at times in southeast, then rain later in south, turning to snow for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor, but becoming moderate or poor later in south. Light icing for a time in far southwest.
East Central Section
In eastern half of the area
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first in north, otherwise southerly or southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Very rough becoming rough.
- Weather
- Rain at first in southeast, otherwise wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In western half of the area
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly veering northwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, then backing southwesterly 6 or 7 later in north.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally sleet or snow showers, perhaps thundery at first in north, becoming fair, then rain later in northwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
West Central Section
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5 at first in northeast, otherwise westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in south, then backing southwesterly 6 to gale 8 later, increasing severe gale 9 at times later in west.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Squally sleet or snow showers, perhaps thundery at first in northeast, then rain later in north and west, turning to snow for a time in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor until later.
Denmark Strait
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 4 to 6, then increasing 7 at times again later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in south, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Sleet, snow or wintry showers, squally at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Light or moderate icing at times within 100 miles of the greenland coast, with temperatures ms02 to ms05.
North Iceland
In far northwest
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, backing southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Snow at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor at first. Light or moderate icing at times, with temperatures ms04 to ms07.
In the rest of the area
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, then backing southeasterly 4 to 6 later in south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in east, becoming moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain or sleet at times, and also snow at times in north, and also squally wintry showers in southeast.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in north and poor in south. Light or moderate icing at times in north, with temperatures ms04 to ms07.
Norwegian Basin
In far northwest
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 or 4 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Very rough, becoming rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
In the rest of the area
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in central areas, decreasing 4 at times later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times, mainly in north and west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north and west, and later also in southeast.
Outlook for following 24 hours
Severe gales expected in East Northern Section, West Northern Section, West Central Section, Denmark Strait and Norwegian Basin. Gales expected in Rockall, Bailey, Southeast Iceland, East Central Section and north Iceland, but with a risk of severe gales in Bailey.
Unscheduled storm warnings are broadcast via Safetynet and in bulletin WONT54 EGRR available via some internet and ftpmail outlets
The high seas forecast information
High seas forecasts are issued twice daily at 0930 and 2130 GMT and cover the next 24 hours and outlooks for the following 24 hours.
The part of the North Atlantic known as Metarea I is divided into twelve sea areas, six of which are also in the Shipping forecast.
The high seas forecast contains a general synopsis and sea-area forecasts containing forecast wind direction and force, weather and visibility for the next 24 hours with an outlook for the following 24 hours.
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.
Please refer to GMDSS services, INMARSAT SafetyNET or international NAVTEX for the latest information. When using these web pages, always check that the page on your screen is not from your cache. Use the Refresh or Reload button if in any doubt.