High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 160000UTC, low 67 north 25 west 995 moving steadily eastwards and losing its identity by 170000UTC. High 48 north 23 west 1030 expected 52 north 14 west 1037 by same time. New high expected 69 north 07 west 1015 by that time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Northwesterly veering northerly, then northeasterly later, 4 or 5, occasionally 3 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first except in south, otherwise rough.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Rockall
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Very rough becoming rough.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Bailey
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5 backing westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in north.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first except in far west, otherwise rough.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
East Northern Section
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8 later, occasionally severe gale 9 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming high later in far southwest.
- Weather
- Showers in north and mainly fair in south, but rain later in southwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor later in far southwest.
West Northern Section
In area to the north of 63 north
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate until later in far northwest, otherwise rough, but becoming very rough later.
- Weather
- Fair then rain, with sleet or snow in far northwest.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor, but poor or very poor in far northwest.
In area to the south of 63 north
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6 backing southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, then becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then rain, then squally showers later in southwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good becoming moderate or poor.
East Central Section
In northeastern half of the area
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in north, moderate or rough in south.
- Weather
- Rain later in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming moderate or poor later in west.
In southwestern half of the area
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first except in far southwest, otherwise southeasterly 5 or 6 increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in north.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later in north.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
West Central Section
In northeastern half of the area
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6 increasing 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later, then becoming westerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high in north.
- Weather
- Fair then rain, perhaps thundery, then squally showers later in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good becoming moderate or poor.
In southwestern half of the area
- Wind
- Southeasterly veering westerly or southwesterly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in north, then veering northwesterly 5 or 6 later in south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Thundery rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
Denmark Strait
In area to the west of 30 west
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Fair then rain or snow.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate to very poor. Occasional light icing later near the greenland coast, with temperatures around ms02.
In area to the north of 70 north
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in south, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
In the rest of the area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4, then southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or snow at first in east, otherwise fair, then occasional rain or drizzle later, with sleet or snow later in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in south and very poor in north.
North Iceland
In southwestern half of the area
- Wind
- Mainly cyclonic 4 to 6, but variable 2 to 4 in far north.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair in far north, but elsewhere rain or snow at times.
- Visibility
- Good in far north, but elsewhere, moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
In northeastern half of the area
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly becoming cyclonic, mainly 4 to 6, but 7 or gale 8 at first in far northeast, then becoming westerly or southwesterly later.
- Sea state
- High at first in far northeast, otherwise rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Squally snow showers at first in far northeast, otherwise sleet or snow at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Light or moderate icing until later to the north of 70 north, with temperatures ms02 to ms05, but severe icing at first in far north, with temperatures ms06 to ms09.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly, backing southwesterly for a time, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Very rough, becoming rough later except in far northeast.
- Weather
- Showers, occasionally thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Storm force winds expected in West Northern Section. Severe gales expected in East Northern Section, East Central Section, West Central Section and Denmark Strait. Gales expected in Rockall, Bailey, Faeroes, Southeast Iceland and north Iceland, possibly severe in Bailey and Southeast Iceland.
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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