Coast and sea

High seas forecast and storm warnings

The general synopsis for UK

At 211200UTC, low 57 north 29 west 984 expected 66 north 05 west 962 by 221200UTC. Low 66 north 35 west 982 expected 66 north 30 west 991 by same time. Low 74 north 10 west 967 losing its identity. at 211200UTC, high 49 north 49 west 1021 expected 51 north 21 west 1024 by 221200UTC.

Issued at: .

For the period to .

High seas forecast and storm warnings map

Sole

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Drizzle later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

Shannon

Wind
Southwesterly 4 to 6, veering northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Rockall

Wind
In south, southwesterly 4 to 6, veering northwesterly 3 to 5 later. in north, westerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
In south, rough or very rough. in north, very rough or high.
Weather
In south, rain . in north, showers.
Visibility
In south, moderate or good. in north, moderate or good.

Bailey

High seas storm warning
Issued:

At 211200UTC, low 57 north 29 west 984 expected 66 north 05 west 962 by 221200UTC. Westerly or southwesterly winds will reach storm 10 in the southern semicircle within 75 and 250 miles of low centre throughout. Westerly winds will reach violent storm 11 at times in southern semicircle between 100 and 200 miles of low centre from 212000UTC until 220800UTC. In northwest north Iceland, near ice edge, northerly winds will reach storm 10 at times until 220000UTC.

Wind
West or southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 for a time.
Sea state
Very rough or high, becoming high or very high.
Weather
Rain then wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

High seas storm warning
Issued:

At 211200UTC, low 57 north 29 west 984 expected 66 north 05 west 962 by 221200UTC. Westerly or southwesterly winds will reach storm 10 in the southern semicircle within 75 and 250 miles of low centre throughout. Westerly winds will reach violent storm 11 at times in southern semicircle between 100 and 200 miles of low centre from 212000UTC until 220800UTC. In northwest north Iceland, near ice edge, northerly winds will reach storm 10 at times until 220000UTC.

Wind
Southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, then westerly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high, becoming high or very high.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

High seas storm warning
Issued:

At 211200UTC, low 57 north 29 west 984 expected 66 north 05 west 962 by 221200UTC. Westerly or southwesterly winds will reach storm 10 in the southern semicircle within 75 and 250 miles of low centre throughout. Westerly winds will reach violent storm 11 at times in southern semicircle between 100 and 200 miles of low centre from 212000UTC until 220800UTC. In northwest north Iceland, near ice edge, northerly winds will reach storm 10 at times until 220000UTC.

Wind
Southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, then westerly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high, becoming high or very high.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor.

East Northern Section

High seas storm warning
Issued:

At 211200UTC, low 57 north 29 west 984 expected 66 north 05 west 962 by 221200UTC. Westerly or southwesterly winds will reach storm 10 in the southern semicircle within 75 and 250 miles of low centre throughout. Westerly winds will reach violent storm 11 at times in southern semicircle between 100 and 200 miles of low centre from 212000UTC until 220800UTC. In northwest north Iceland, near ice edge, northerly winds will reach storm 10 at times until 220000UTC.

Wind
Cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11, becoming westerly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high, occasionally very high in east.
Weather
Rain and snow, then snow showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

West Northern Section

Wind
Westerly 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later, occasionally 5 later in central areas.
Sea state
Very rough or high, but moderate or rough in far west.
Weather
Snow showers, rain and snow later in south.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor. Light to moderate icing in northwest, occasional severe icing in far northwest.

East Central Section

In north

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southerly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

In south

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly 4 to 6 later in west.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

West Central Section

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, but westerly 4 to 6 at first in north, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain, occasional snow later in north.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later in north.

Denmark Strait

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in south.
Weather
Snow or snow showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor. Occasional light to moderate icing within 50 miles of ice edge with temperatures ms02 to ms05. Occasional severe icing along ice edge in north, with temperatures ms04 to ms07.

North Iceland

High seas storm warning
Issued:

At 211200UTC, low 57 north 29 west 984 expected 66 north 05 west 962 by 221200UTC. Westerly or southwesterly winds will reach storm 10 in the southern semicircle within 75 and 250 miles of low centre throughout. Westerly winds will reach violent storm 11 at times in southern semicircle between 100 and 200 miles of low centre from 212000UTC until 220800UTC. In northwest north Iceland, near ice edge, northerly winds will reach storm 10 at times until 220000UTC.

In north

Wind
Cyclonic becoming northerly, 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Snow or snow showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor. Light to moderate icing with temperatures ms02 to ms05, occasional severe or very severe icing within 50 miles of ice edge with temperatures ms07 to ms10.

In south

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing gale 8 to storm 10, then becoming northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming high or very high in southeast.
Weather
Rain and snow, then snow showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor. Light to moderate icing in northwest from 220300utc with temperatures ms02 to ms05, occasional severe icing near ice edge from 220600utc with temperatures ms05 to ms08.

Norwegian Basin

High seas storm warning
Issued:

At 211200UTC, low 57 north 29 west 984 expected 66 north 05 west 962 by 221200UTC. Westerly or southwesterly winds will reach storm 10 in the southern semicircle within 75 and 250 miles of low centre throughout. Westerly winds will reach violent storm 11 at times in southern semicircle between 100 and 200 miles of low centre from 212000UTC until 220800UTC. In northwest north Iceland, near ice edge, northerly winds will reach storm 10 at times until 220000UTC.

Wind
Southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming high or very high.
Weather
Rain then wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, occasionally good at first.

Outlook for following 24 hours

Violent storm 11 expected in Norwegian Basin. Storm force 10 expected in East Northern Section and West Northern Section. Severe gales expected in Rockall, Bailey, East Central Section, West Central Section, Denmark Strait and north Iceland. Gales expected in Faeroes and Southeast Iceland.

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.