High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 300000UTC, low 55 north 20 west 958 expected 62 north 18 west with little change by 010000UTC
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, veering westerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in west.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in northwest, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Rockall
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 300000UTC, low 55 north 20 west 958 expected 62 north 18 west with little change by 010000UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 between 50 and 250 miles of the centre in the southwestern semicircle and eastern quadrant both until 302300UTC, and violent storm force 11 between 100 and 200 miles of the centre in the southwestern quandrant until 301300UTC. Northeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 to violent storm force 11 between 66 and 71 north in Denmark Strait throughout the period.
- Wind
- Cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10, becoming southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming high or very high for a time.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Poor.
Bailey
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 300000UTC, low 55 north 20 west 958 expected 62 north 18 west with little change by 010000UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 between 50 and 250 miles of the centre in the southwestern semicircle and eastern quadrant both until 302300UTC, and violent storm force 11 between 100 and 200 miles of the centre in the southwestern quandrant until 301300UTC. Northeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 to violent storm force 11 between 66 and 71 north in Denmark Strait throughout the period.
- Wind
- South or southeast 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 to storm 10 for a time.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming high or very high.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate, occasionally very poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later, perhaps storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later, occasionally very high later.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate, occasionally very poor.
East Northern Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 300000UTC, low 55 north 20 west 958 expected 62 north 18 west with little change by 010000UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 between 50 and 250 miles of the centre in the southwestern semicircle and eastern quadrant both until 302300UTC, and violent storm force 11 between 100 and 200 miles of the centre in the southwestern quandrant until 301300UTC. Northeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 to violent storm force 11 between 66 and 71 north in Denmark Strait throughout the period.
In northeast
- Wind
- Easterly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 in far east.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high in far east.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
In south
- Wind
- Cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally 7 in north and violent storm 11 at first in far south, becoming southwesterly 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high in east.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
In northwest
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in far southwest, then decreasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Very rough, occasionally rough at first, then becoming high at times in far northwest and far east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, squally at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
West Northern Section
In north
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6 at first in far west, otherwise 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 until later, then decreasing 5 at times later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first in far west, otherwise very rough or high.
- Weather
- Mainly fair at first in west, otherwise rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good at first in west, otherwise moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In southeast
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing westerly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 until later.
- Sea state
- Very rough occasionally high.
- Weather
- Occasional rain in far northeast, otherwise squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
In southwest
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first in west, otherwise northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in northeast and later elsewhere, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
East Central Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 300000UTC, low 55 north 20 west 958 expected 62 north 18 west with little change by 010000UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 between 50 and 250 miles of the centre in the southwestern semicircle and eastern quadrant both until 302300UTC, and violent storm force 11 between 100 and 200 miles of the centre in the southwestern quandrant until 301300UTC. Northeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 to violent storm force 11 between 66 and 71 north in Denmark Strait throughout the period.
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly westerly, gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 at first in north, becoming westerly 6 to gale 8, backing southwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- High or very high, becoming very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Poor, occasionally good later.
In south
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly, backing southwesterly later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough, occasionally high until later in north.
- Weather
- Squally showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
West Central Section
- Wind
- Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9 at first in far northeast, otherwise westerly or northwesterly, becoming cyclonic in south, 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high at first in far northeast, otherwise rough, occasionally very rough in north and east.
- Weather
- Showers, then occasional rain, mainly fair later in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor, becoming moderate or poor later in south.
Denmark Strait
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 300000UTC, low 55 north 20 west 958 expected 62 north 18 west with little change by 010000UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 between 50 and 250 miles of the centre in the southwestern semicircle and eastern quadrant both until 302300UTC, and violent storm force 11 between 100 and 200 miles of the centre in the southwestern quandrant until 301300UTC. Northeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 to violent storm force 11 between 66 and 71 north in Denmark Strait throughout the period.
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, but severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 between 66 and 71 north.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally rough at first, then becoming very high at times in south.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, sleet, snow and freezing rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor. Light icing in far north with temperatures around ms02.
North Iceland
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 300000UTC, low 55 north 20 west 958 expected 62 north 18 west with little change by 010000UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 between 50 and 250 miles of the centre in the southwestern semicircle and eastern quadrant both until 302300UTC, and violent storm force 11 between 100 and 200 miles of the centre in the southwestern quandrant until 301300UTC. Northeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 to violent storm force 11 between 66 and 71 north in Denmark Strait throughout the period.
In southeastern half of area
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times in southeast, then increasing 7 or gale 8 later in south, occasionally severe gale 9 later near Iceland coast.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in south.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and fog patches, becoming mainly fair later in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
In northwestern half of area
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6 in southeast, otherwise in northwest northerly or northeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in far west, perhaps storm 10 later in far northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches in southeast, but sleet, snow and freezing rain in northwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor. Light icing in far northwest with temperatures around ms02, occasionally moderate later with temperatures ms03 to ms05.
Norwegian Basin
In area east of 05 east
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough at times in west.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
In area west of 05 east
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later in far south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first in east.
- Weather
- Fair then occasional rain, fog patches later in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, but very poor later in west.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Storms expected in Denmark Strait with severe gales in north Iceland. Gales expected in Bailey, Faeroes, Southeast Iceland, East Northern Section and West Northern Section with a risk of gales West Central Section.
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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