Coast and sea
The general synopsis for UK
At 190000UTC, low 65 north 41 west 975 losing its identity by 200000UTC. New low expected 74 north 15 west 962 by same time. High 57 north 12 west 1031 expected 56 north 02 east 1027 by that time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northeasterly veering southerly or southeasterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rockall
- Wind
- In south, northeasterly veering southerly or southeasterly, then southwesterly later, 3 to 5. in north, variable 2 to 4 becoming southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In south, rough, becoming moderate or rough. in north, moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in far northwest.
- Weather
- In south, fair. in north, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later in north.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming high in northwest.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, then becoming high later in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain, then wintry showers later in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
East Northern Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
Westerly or southwesterly winds will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 after 191000UTC in that part of the western half of West Northern Section that lies between 59 north and 62 north. Southwesterly winds will also reach storm force 10 after 191500UTC in that part of the eastern half of West Northern Section that lies between 60 north and 64 north, and also after 192100UTC in that part of the western half of East Northern Section that lies between 61 north and 64 north. Also, northwesterly piteraq winds will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 to the west of 37 west in Denmark Strait after 191400UTC, and also in that part of West Northern Section that lies both north of 64 north and west of 37 west after 191300UTC, with southwesterly winds then also reaching storm force 10 after 200200UTC in that part of West Northern Section that lies both east of 37 west and north of 64 north, and also in that part of Denmark Strait that lies both south of 66 north and between 27 west and 35 west.
In far southeast
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly, veering westerly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate later.
In the rest of the area
- Wind
- Southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later in northwest, veering westerly 5 to 7 later in south and east.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming very high later in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain, then squally sleet or snow showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor. Light icing later in far northwest.
West Northern Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
Westerly or southwesterly winds will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 after 191000UTC in that part of the western half of West Northern Section that lies between 59 north and 62 north. Southwesterly winds will also reach storm force 10 after 191500UTC in that part of the eastern half of West Northern Section that lies between 60 north and 64 north, and also after 192100UTC in that part of the western half of East Northern Section that lies between 61 north and 64 north. Also, northwesterly piteraq winds will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 to the west of 37 west in Denmark Strait after 191400UTC, and also in that part of West Northern Section that lies both north of 64 north and west of 37 west after 191300UTC, with southwesterly winds then also reaching storm force 10 after 200200UTC in that part of West Northern Section that lies both east of 37 west and north of 64 north, and also in that part of Denmark Strait that lies both south of 66 north and between 27 west and 35 west.
In far northwest
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7 veering northwesterly severe gale 9 to violent storm 11.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in very far northwest, but elsewhere very rough or high.
- Weather
- Sleet or snow showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor. Severe or very severe icing developing.
In area to the south of 59 north
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in north.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain at first in east, otherwise squally sleet or snow showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor. Light or moderate icing developing in northwest.
In the rest of the area
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9 veering westerly or southwesterly gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 in west.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming high or very high.
- Weather
- Rain at first in far east, otherwise squally sleet or snow showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor. Light or moderate icing developing in west and north.
East Central Section
In far northwest
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in north, veering northwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
In the rest of the area
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in far south, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 in north.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in south, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair until later in north, otherwise occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
West Central Section
In southern half of the area
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming northerly in east, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in east, but becoming variable 2 to 4 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times, but becoming fair in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
In northern half of the area
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in far north, then veering westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain at first in east, otherwise sleet or snow showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Denmark Strait
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
Westerly or southwesterly winds will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 after 191000UTC in that part of the western half of West Northern Section that lies between 59 north and 62 north. Southwesterly winds will also reach storm force 10 after 191500UTC in that part of the eastern half of West Northern Section that lies between 60 north and 64 north, and also after 192100UTC in that part of the western half of East Northern Section that lies between 61 north and 64 north. Also, northwesterly piteraq winds will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 to the west of 37 west in Denmark Strait after 191400UTC, and also in that part of West Northern Section that lies both north of 64 north and west of 37 west after 191300UTC, with southwesterly winds then also reaching storm force 10 after 200200UTC in that part of West Northern Section that lies both east of 37 west and north of 64 north, and also in that part of Denmark Strait that lies both south of 66 north and between 27 west and 35 west.
In area to the west of 37 west
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming northwesterly severe gale 9 to violent storm 11.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough close to the ice but very rough or high further offshore.
- Weather
- Snow showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first and poor later. Severe or very severe icing developing, with temperatures ms09 to ms12.
In area to the east of 37 west
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 to storm 10 later in south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high, then becoming very high later in south.
- Weather
- Rain, sleet or snow at first in east, otherwise snow showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, occasionally good at first. Light or moderate icing developing, with temperatures ms02 to ms05, but severe icing developing later in west, with temperatures ms06 to ms09.
North Iceland
- Wind
- Southerly 5 to 7 veering southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in west, then becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later except in far north.
- Weather
- Rain, sleet or snow in west and south spreading northeastwards, then sleet or snow showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in southeast and very poor elsewhere. Light or moderate icing in northwest, with temperatures ms02 to ms05, but severe icing developing at times later near the ice in northwest, with temperatures ms06 to ms09.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first in south, backing southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in far south.
- Weather
- Wintry showers at first in northeast, otherwise rain at times in northwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in northwest.
Outlook for following 24 hours
Hurricane force northwesterly piteraq winds expected in the far west of Denmark Strait. Violent storm force winds expected in West Northern Section, and also in the northwest of sea area north Iceland, but mainly over ice here. Storm force winds expected in the south of Denmark Strait. Severe gales expected in Southeast Iceland, East Northern Section, West Central Section and Norwegian Basin. Gales expected in northwest Bailey and East Central Section.
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.