Coast and sea
The general synopsis for UK
At 171200UTC, low 51 north 24 west 990 expected 55 north 16 west 981 by 181200UTC. Low 69 north 00 east 975 expected 68 north 01 west 982 by same time. New low moving rapidly east expected 48 north 08 west 991 by that time. at 171200UTC, low 60 north 40 west 999 losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west or northwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough occasionally high.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later, occasionally very high later in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southeast 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough occasionally high.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in south.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming very rough, occasionally high later in south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Northeasterly 6 to gale 8 in west, otherwise cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
East Northern Section
In area north of 62 north
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional sleet and snow.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Occasional light icing expected near the Iceland coast.
In area south of 59 north
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in far south.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or squally showers, wintry in far west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In rest of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in south, becoming northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9 in far northwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
West Northern Section
In area north of 62 north
- Wind
- Northeasterly gale 8 or severe gale 9, decreasing 6 to gale 8, then 4 to 6 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally snow showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Light or moderate icing expected in far northwest until later.
In southern half of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly northwesterly at first, gale 8 or severe gale 9 at first in far northwest otherwise 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times, but occasionally gale 8 in west and south, and also later in far north.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers, squally at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
In rest of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first, becoming northeasterly 6 to gale 8 in north and far west and also later elsewhere.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in far west.
- Weather
- Wintry showers, squally at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
East Central Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 171200UTC, low 51 north 24 west 990 expected 55 north 16 west 981 by 181200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 from 180300UTC between 100 and 200 miles of the centre in the southwestern quadrant, gradually extending to between 150 and 300 miles of the centre by 181800UTC. At 171200UTC, low 69 north 00 east 975 expected 68 north 01 west 982 by 181200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 between 50 and 250 miles of the centre in western quadrant until 180400UTC.
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in northeast and at first in far south, becoming northwesterly gale 8 to storm 10 in far northeast.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally rough at first in north and later in west, and very high later in northeast.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or squally showers, becoming wintry at times in northwest, becoming mainly fair later in southwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
West Central Section
In northeastern half of area
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in far northeast, then backing westerly 4 to 6 later in northeast and southeasterly 5 to 7 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
In southwestern half of area
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 to 7 at first in north and east, otherwise variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8 in southwest and later elsewhere, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in far southwest.
- Weather
- Wintry showers then occasional rain or sleet.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Denmark Strait
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 at times later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough except in far east.
- Weather
- Snow showers in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor in south. Light or moderate icing with temperatures ms03 to ms06, occasionally severe in far northeast with temperaures ms07 to ms10, icing gradually becoming confined to far east.
North Iceland
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 171200UTC, low 51 north 24 west 990 expected 55 north 16 west 981 by 181200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 from 180300UTC between 100 and 200 miles of the centre in the southwestern quadrant, gradually extending to between 150 and 300 miles of the centre by 181800UTC. At 171200UTC, low 69 north 00 east 975 expected 68 north 01 west 982 by 181200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 between 50 and 250 miles of the centre in western quadrant until 180400UTC.
In east
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly gale 8 to storm 10, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 until later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Occasional sleet, snow or wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor. Occasional light or moderate icing expected north of 66 north with temperatures ms03 to ms06, occasionally severe or very severe near the ice with temperatures ms08 to ms10.
In west
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 until later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Occasional snow.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor. Moderate or severe icing expected in north with temperatures ms05 to ms08, occasionally very severe near the ice with temperatures around ms10 to ms12 and occasional light or moderate icing expected in south with temperatures ms02 to ms04.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional sleet, snow or wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Outlook for following 24 hours
Storms expected in Shannon, East Central Section and West Central Section with severe gales in Sole, Rockall, East Northern Section and West Northern Section. Gales expected in north Iceland and Norwegian Basin.
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.