Coast and Sea

High seas forecast and storm warnings

The general synopsis for UK

At 280000UTC, low 46 north 39 west 982 expected 60 north 35 west 939 by 290000UTC. Low 65 north 10 west 965 expected 69 north 00 east 984 by same time. New low expected 46 north 22 west 1001 by that time

Issued at: 08:00 (UTC) on Wed 28 Oct 2026.

For the period 08:00 (UTC) on Wed 28 Oct 2026 to 08:00 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2026.

High seas forecast and storm warnings map

High seas forecast and storm warnings explained

Sole

Wind: Southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: Southwest backing south, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Rockall

Wind: Southwest backing south, 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Bailey

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, backing south or southeast 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in north.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough, then moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough, then moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

East Northern Section

In northeastern half of area

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, but 7 or gale 8 at first in northeast, backing southeasterly, then becoming cyclonic later, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times later, but increasing gale 8 or severe gale 9 for a time later in far northwest.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in northwest.
Weather: Showers then rain, squally showers later in southwest.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

In southwestern half of area

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, then southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8 later, but decreasing 4 to 6 later in southeast.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain at times, then squally showers later except in far southeast.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

West Northern Section

Storm warning: Issued: 08:00 (UTC) on Wed 28 Oct 2026

At 280000UTC, low 46 north 39 west 982 expected 60 north 35 west 939 by 290000UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 300 miles of the centre in the southeastern quadrant until 281800UTC, then developing within 150 miles of the centre in the southern semicircle from 281800UTC extending to the eastern quadrant and within 150 miles of the centre by 290300UTC, this then extending to all quadrants within 150 miles of the centre and also strengthening to violent storm force 11 from 290400UTC. Northeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 within 200 miles of the Greenland coast between 60 and 67 north in West Northern Section and Denmark Strait from 282200UTC, strengthening to violent storm force 11 and becoming confined to within 150 miles of the coast from 290100UTC, this area then becoming restricted to within 100 miles of the coast by 290600UTC.

In far northwest

Wind: Northeasterly 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 or severe gale 9, then severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming high, occasionally very high later.
Weather: Occasional rain, sleet and snow.
Visibility: Moderate to very poor.

In rest of north of area

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, backing easterly or northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10 later, occasionally violent storm 11 later except in far east.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high, occasionally very high later.
Weather: Showers then rain, squally showers later in east.
Visibility: Moderate or good becoming mainly poor.

In south of area

Wind: Cyclonic, 4 to 6, but 3 or 4 at first in northwest, increasing gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 later in northwest, decreasing 7 at times later in far south.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high, occasionally very high later in north.
Weather: Rain at times, then squally showers in south and also later in east.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good at first.

East Central Section

Storm warning: Issued: 08:00 (UTC) on Wed 28 Oct 2026

At 280000UTC, low 46 north 39 west 982 expected 60 north 35 west 939 by 290000UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 300 miles of the centre in the southeastern quadrant until 281800UTC, then developing within 150 miles of the centre in the southern semicircle from 281800UTC extending to the eastern quadrant and within 150 miles of the centre by 290300UTC, this then extending to all quadrants within 150 miles of the centre and also strengthening to violent storm force 11 from 290400UTC. Northeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 within 200 miles of the Greenland coast between 60 and 67 north in West Northern Section and Denmark Strait from 282200UTC, strengthening to violent storm force 11 and becoming confined to within 150 miles of the coast from 290100UTC, this area then becoming restricted to within 100 miles of the coast by 290600UTC.

In east

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in north, becoming cyclonic later, then decreasing 4 to 6 later in west.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high except in southeast.
Weather: Showers then rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, becoming moderate or poor.

In west

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first in far west, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, then decreasing 3 to 5 later in southeast and becoming southwesterly 5 to 7 later in northwest.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain then showers, squally at times.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

West Central Section

Storm warning: Issued: 08:00 (UTC) on Wed 28 Oct 2026

At 280000UTC, low 46 north 39 west 982 expected 60 north 35 west 939 by 290000UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 300 miles of the centre in the southeastern quadrant until 281800UTC, then developing within 150 miles of the centre in the southern semicircle from 281800UTC extending to the eastern quadrant and within 150 miles of the centre by 290300UTC, this then extending to all quadrants within 150 miles of the centre and also strengthening to violent storm force 11 from 290400UTC. Northeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 within 200 miles of the Greenland coast between 60 and 67 north in West Northern Section and Denmark Strait from 282200UTC, strengthening to violent storm force 11 and becoming confined to within 150 miles of the coast from 290100UTC, this area then becoming restricted to within 100 miles of the coast by 290600UTC.

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first mainly in east, becoming westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, but decreasing 4 to 6 in far southeast.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally rough at first in north.
Weather: Rain at first in east, otherwise squally showers, wintry at times.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Denmark Strait

Storm warning: Issued: 08:00 (UTC) on Wed 28 Oct 2026

At 280000UTC, low 46 north 39 west 982 expected 60 north 35 west 939 by 290000UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 300 miles of the centre in the southeastern quadrant until 281800UTC, then developing within 150 miles of the centre in the southern semicircle from 281800UTC extending to the eastern quadrant and within 150 miles of the centre by 290300UTC, this then extending to all quadrants within 150 miles of the centre and also strengthening to violent storm force 11 from 290400UTC. Northeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 within 200 miles of the Greenland coast between 60 and 67 north in West Northern Section and Denmark Strait from 282200UTC, strengthening to violent storm force 11 and becoming confined to within 150 miles of the coast from 290100UTC, this area then becoming restricted to within 100 miles of the coast by 290600UTC.

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in far southwest, increasing severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 later in west, and becoming variable 2 to 4 later in far northeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in far northeast, otherwise rough or very rough occasionally high.
Weather: Sleet and snow at times, with occasional rain or freezing rain later, but becoming mainly fair in far northeast.
Visibility: Moderate to very poor, becoming mainly good in far northeast. Light icing at first in far northeast with temperatures around ms03.

North Iceland

In southeastern quadrant

Wind: Cyclonic becoming westerly or northwesterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in far southeast and far northwest, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

In north and west

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later except in far southwest along north iceland coast.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in far southwest, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain, sleet and snow, becoming mainly fair in northwest and later elsewhere, but fog patches in east.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor except in northwest. Light or moderate icing expected in far northwest with temperatures ms03 to ms05 until 282200utc.

Norwegian Basin

Wind: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 4 to 6 later in southwest.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain or squally showers, becoming mainly fair later in southwest.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours

Violent storms expected in Denmark Strait with storms in West Northern Section. Gales expected in Shannon, Rockall, Bailey, East Northern Section, East Central Section and Norwegian Basin.

Unscheduled storm warnings are broadcast via Safetynet and in bulletin WONT54 EGRR available via some internet and ftpmail outlets

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.