High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 251200UTC, 49 north 32 west 994 expected 55 north 21 west 962 by 261200UTC. Low 60 north 01 east 958 expected 66 north 02 east 981 by same time. New low expected 65 north 27 west 980 by that time. at 251200UTC, low 63 north 36 west 991 losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- South or southwest, backing southeast for a time, 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in south.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- West becoming cyclonic, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 at times, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers, then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- West becoming cyclonic, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 at times but occasionally severe gale 9 at first, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers, then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Northwest 7 to severe gale 9, backing west 6 to gale 8, backing southeast later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high until later.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing westerly, then easterly later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough in south and moderate in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
East Northern Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 251200UTC, 49 north 32 west 994 expected 55 north 21 west 962 by 261200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the centre in the southwestern quadrant from 260600UTC, extending from 261500UTC to within 150 miles of the centre in the southwestern quadrant and 100 miles of the centre in the northwestern quadrant. New low expected 65 north 27 west 980 by 261200UTC. Northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 from 261300UTC in Denmark Strait between 67 and 69 north and within 100 miles of the Greenland coast.
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 3 until later, becoming northerly or northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9 later in southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps wintry in northwest, rain later in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in northwest and later in east.
In south
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in south, then increasing gale 8 to storm 10 later in south and east.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
- Weather
- Rain at times, showers later in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
West Northern Section
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic, 4 to 6, but 7 or gale 8 at first in far west, then increasing 6 to gale 8 later in far northeast, occasionally 3 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry at times, but occasional rain, sleet and snow in far northwest and then later in northeast.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor, but very poor in far northwest and later in far northeast.
In south
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, then cyclonic 4 to 6 later in west, occasionally 3 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate in north and very rough later in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps wintry at times in west, rain later in far southwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in west.
East Central Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 251200UTC, 49 north 32 west 994 expected 55 north 21 west 962 by 261200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the centre in the southwestern quadrant from 260600UTC, extending from 261500UTC to within 150 miles of the centre in the southwestern quadrant and 100 miles of the centre in the northwestern quadrant. New low expected 65 north 27 west 980 by 261200UTC. Northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 from 261300UTC in Denmark Strait between 67 and 69 north and within 100 miles of the Greenland coast.
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in southeast, increasing gale 8 to storm 10 in northwest and later elsewhere in far north, then becoming westerly or northwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain, then squally showers in west and also later in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good later.
West Central Section
- Wind
- Cyclonic at first in southeast, otherwise northerly or northwesterly, 6 to gale 8, backing southwesterly 5 to 7 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in far southeast.
- Weather
- Rain at first in south and east, otherwise squally showers, perhaps wintry in north, rain later in northwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Denmark Strait
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 251200UTC, 49 north 32 west 994 expected 55 north 21 west 962 by 261200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the centre in the southwestern quadrant from 260600UTC, extending from 261500UTC to within 150 miles of the centre in the southwestern quadrant and 100 miles of the centre in the northwestern quadrant. New low expected 65 north 27 west 980 by 261200UTC. Northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 from 261300UTC in Denmark Strait between 67 and 69 north and within 100 miles of the Greenland coast.
In area north of 71 north
- Wind
- Northerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional snow in far south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in far south. Occasional light icing in far south with temperatures around ms03.
In far southwest
- Wind
- Northeasterly backing northwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, snow later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor later.
In rest of area south of 71 north
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly, becoming cyclonic later in southeast, 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 or severe gale 9 except in far south, occasionally storm 10 later between 67 and 69 north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough occasionally high.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, sleet and snow.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, occasionally good at first. Occasional light icing in far northeast with temperatures around ms03.
North Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic far southeast, otherwise northerly or northeasterly, 4 to 6, but 6 to gale 8 in southwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in south and slight at first in north, occasional rain in south and sleet or snow in north.
- Weather
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in south and very poor in north.
- Visibility
- Occasional light icing in far northwest with temperatures around ms03.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Southeasterly 6 to gale 8 at first in far northeast, otherwise cyclonic, becoming mainly southwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first, then increasing 7 at times in south and also later in east.
- Sea state
- Rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Fair at first in northeast, otherwise occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Storms expected in Rockall, Bailey, Faeroes, East Northern Section and Denmark Strait with severe gales in Shannon, Southeast Iceland, East Central Section, north Iceland and Norwegian Basin. Gales expected in all other areas but perhaps severe in Sole.
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.
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