Coast and sea
The general synopsis for UK
At 250000UTC, low 49 north 40 west 979 expected 54 north 40 west 940 by 260000UTC. Low 55 north 38 west 979 losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- West or northwest, becoming cyclonic later, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- High at first in southwest, otherwise rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- In southwest, cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9 later. in northeast, easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- In southwest, showers, rain later. in northeast, showers.
- Visibility
- In southwest, good, occasionally poor. in northeast, moderate or good.
Bailey
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
East Northern Section
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 at first in far southwest, otherwise easterly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In south
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming easterly or southeasterly for a time, 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, then decreasing 4 to 6 again later in south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
West Northern Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 250000UTC, low 49 north 40 west 979 expected 54 north 40 west 940 by 260000UTC. Cyclonic winds are expected to reach storm force 10 throughout West Central Section at times and violent storm force 11 north of 48 north also in West Central Section with both areas becoming confined to west of 33 west from 251700UTC. Easterly or southeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 until 260300UTC and violent storm force 11 until 260000UTC south of 58 north in West Northern Section, but with this area becoming restricted to west of 33 west from 252000UTC whilst also backing northwesterly. Southeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in area enclosed north of 50 north and west of 25 west in East Central Section until 251700UTC. Finally, northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 until 260300UTC and violent storm force 11 until 252100UTC within 100 miles of the Greenland coast between 64 and 66 north in West Northern Section and Denmark Strait.
In area north of 64 north
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, but severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 until later in west.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain at times, squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
In rest of northern half of area
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first except in northeast and far southwest, otherwise easterly 6 to gale 8, veering northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In southern half of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly easterly, 7 to severe gale 9, but severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 until later in south, decreasing 4 to 6 later in southeast.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high, occasionally very high.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or squally showers, wintry at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, occasionally good at first.
East Central Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 250000UTC, low 49 north 40 west 979 expected 54 north 40 west 940 by 260000UTC. Cyclonic winds are expected to reach storm force 10 throughout West Central Section at times and violent storm force 11 north of 48 north also in West Central Section with both areas becoming confined to west of 33 west from 251700UTC. Easterly or southeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 until 260300UTC and violent storm force 11 until 260000UTC south of 58 north in West Northern Section, but with this area becoming restricted to west of 33 west from 252000UTC whilst also backing northwesterly. Southeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in area enclosed north of 50 north and west of 25 west in East Central Section until 251700UTC. Finally, northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 until 260300UTC and violent storm force 11 until 252100UTC within 100 miles of the Greenland coast between 64 and 66 north in West Northern Section and Denmark Strait.
In east
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, then southwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally rough in north and very high at first in south.
- Weather
- Showers at first in northeast, otherwise fair, then rain, squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good at first.
In west
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly veering southwesterly, 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first in northwest, then decreasing 6 at times in north and also later elsewhere.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally rough at first in north.
- Weather
- Fair at first in north and east, otherwise occasional rain, then squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
West Central Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 250000UTC, low 49 north 40 west 979 expected 54 north 40 west 940 by 260000UTC. Cyclonic winds are expected to reach storm force 10 throughout West Central Section at times and violent storm force 11 north of 48 north also in West Central Section with both areas becoming confined to west of 33 west from 251700UTC. Easterly or southeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 until 260300UTC and violent storm force 11 until 260000UTC south of 58 north in West Northern Section, but with this area becoming restricted to west of 33 west from 252000UTC whilst also backing northwesterly. Southeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in area enclosed north of 50 north and west of 25 west in East Central Section until 251700UTC. Finally, northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 until 260300UTC and violent storm force 11 until 252100UTC within 100 miles of the Greenland coast between 64 and 66 north in West Northern Section and Denmark Strait.
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming mainly westerly or southwesterly in south and east, severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, occasionally gale 8 in south and east, then decreasing 7 to severe gale 9 in east.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming high or very high.
- Weather
- Rain at first in north and east, otherwise squally sleet and snow showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor.
Denmark Strait
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 250000UTC, low 49 north 40 west 979 expected 54 north 40 west 940 by 260000UTC. Cyclonic winds are expected to reach storm force 10 throughout West Central Section at times and violent storm force 11 north of 48 north also in West Central Section with both areas becoming confined to west of 33 west from 251700UTC. Easterly or southeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 until 260300UTC and violent storm force 11 until 260000UTC south of 58 north in West Northern Section, but with this area becoming restricted to west of 33 west from 252000UTC whilst also backing northwesterly. Southeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in area enclosed north of 50 north and west of 25 west in East Central Section until 251700UTC. Finally, northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 until 260300UTC and violent storm force 11 until 252100UTC within 100 miles of the Greenland coast between 64 and 66 north in West Northern Section and Denmark Strait.
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly, storm 10 or violent storm 11 until later in far west, otherwise 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in west.
- Sea state
- High in far west, otherwise rough or very rough in west and moderate or rough in east.
- Weather
- Rain, sleet and snow at first in far west, otherwise sleet and snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor, or very poor at first in far west. Occasional light icing near the ice with temperatures around ms02.
North Iceland
In north
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor. Severe or very severe icing developing later near the ice with temperatures ms11 to ms13.
In south
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 just north of Iceland.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Southeasterly at first in far south, otherwise easterly or northeasterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in west, otherwise mainly moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for following 24 hours
Violent storms expected in West Central Section with storms in East Northern Section, West Northern Section and Denmark Strait. Severe gales expected in Rockall, Bailey, Faeroes, Southeast Iceland and East Central Section with gales in Sole, Shannon and north Iceland.
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.