High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 210000UTC, low 58 north 39 west 981 expected 64 north 32 west 982 by 220000UTC. High 43 north 50 west 1026 expected 44 north 36 west 1032 by same time.
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly 4 at first in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rockall
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
East Northern Section
In northern half of the area
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming mainly southerly or southwesterly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Thundery rain, then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In southern half of the area
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 in east and severe gale 9 for a time in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high, occasional rain at first in southeast, otherwise showers, squally later.
- Weather
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor at first, becoming moderate or good.
- Visibility
West Northern Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 210000UTC, low 58 north 39 west 981 expected 64 north 32 west 982 by 220000UTC. Northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times between 100 and 150 miles of the centre of the low in the northwest quadrant in West Northern Section, from 210800UTC to 211300UTC. In addition northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times within 100 miles of the Greenland coast in the Denmark Strait between 55 north and 60 north, from 210800UTC until 211500UTC.
In northern half of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 in far northwest, but decreasing 5 or 6 for a time in south and east.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in west at first and later in east.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers, sleet for a time at first in northwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In southern half of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming mainly westerly later, 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 at first, increasing gale 8 or severe gale 9, backing southwesterly 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
East Central Section
In southeastern half of the area
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In northwestern half of the area
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly southerly or southwesterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in northwest, veering westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 for a time in north and 3 in south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, squally later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
West Central Section
In northern half of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming westerly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in north, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In southern half of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly westerly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in north, decreasing 3 to 5, occasionally 2 later in south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first, becoming rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Denmark Strait
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 210000UTC, low 58 north 39 west 981 expected 64 north 32 west 982 by 220000UTC. Northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times between 100 and 150 miles of the centre of the low in the northwest quadrant in West Northern Section, from 210800UTC to 211300UTC. In addition northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times within 100 miles of the Greenland coast in the Denmark Strait between 55 north and 60 north, from 210800UTC until 211500UTC.
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less at first in far north, elsewhere cyclonic mainly northeasterly, 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 for a time at first in far southwest near greenland coast, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 later in southeast near Iceland.
- Sea state
- Occasionally moderate in far north and in southeast near Iceland, otherwise rough or very rough, occasionally high for a time in west near greenland coast.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers, occasionally sleet or snow near greenland coast.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor in west, but good at times in east.
North Iceland
In northern half of area
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later in northwest and 4 in southeast.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Fair at first, otherwise rain.
- Visibility
- But sleet and snow in northwest, fog patches developing in south. Good, becoming moderate or poor, occasionally very poor.
In southern half of area
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering southerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery, fog patches for a time in southeast.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, but very poor for a time in southeast.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic mainly southerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7, perhaps gale 8 later in east near Norwegian coast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers in east, rain or drizzle spreading from west, fog patches for a time in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, but very poor for a time in west.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Severe gales are expected in East Northern Section, West Northern Section and West Central Section with gales expected in Bailey, Southeast Iceland 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.