Coast and sea
The general synopsis for UK
At 110000UTC, low 57 north 42 west 975 expected 59 north 23 west 965 by 120000UTC. Low 62 north 12 west 965 expected 67 north 15 west 955 by same time. Low 65 north 24 west 970 losing its identity by that time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 or 6, backing southwestery 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Shannon
- Wind
- West backing southwest, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rockall
- Wind
- West backing southwest, 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first.
- Weather
- Rain or squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
Bailey
- Wind
- West backing southwest, 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first.
- Weather
- Rain or squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming west, backing southwest later, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming very high for a time in southwest.
- Weather
- Rain or squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming westerly 7 to severe gale 9, backing southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high for a time.
- Weather
- Rain or wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
East Northern Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 110000UTC, low 57 north 42 west 975 expected 59 north 23 west 965 by 120000UTC. Westerly winds will reach storm force 10 at times in West Northern Section south of 58 north until 120300UTC, and in East Northern Section south of 58 north from 111800UTC. Low 62 north 12 west 965 expected 67 north 15 west 955 by same time. Northerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 at times in Denmark Strait east of 23 west from 111200UTC, and in north Iceland west of 14 west from 111400UTC. Winds May also reach violent storm force 11 at times in Denmark Strait near the ice edge from 112100UTC, and in north Iceland near the ice edge from 120000UTC.
In north of area
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, then becoming northerly 6 to gale 8 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in south and east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or wintry showers, snow showers in far north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, or very poor in far north.
In south of area
- Wind
- Westerly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic, mainly southwesterly, 7 to severe gale 9, increasing storm 10 at times later in south.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming high or very high for a time.
- Weather
- Rain or squally wintry showers.
West Northern Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 110000UTC, low 57 north 42 west 975 expected 59 north 23 west 965 by 120000UTC. Westerly winds will reach storm force 10 at times in West Northern Section south of 58 north until 120300UTC, and in East Northern Section south of 58 north from 111800UTC. Low 62 north 12 west 965 expected 67 north 15 west 955 by same time. Northerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 at times in Denmark Strait east of 23 west from 111200UTC, and in north Iceland west of 14 west from 111400UTC. Winds May also reach violent storm force 11 at times in Denmark Strait near the ice edge from 112100UTC, and in north Iceland near the ice edge from 120000UTC.
In north of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northerly or northeasterly, backing northwesterly later in west, 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 for a time in far northeast.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in west.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor. Occasional light icing near ice edge.
In south of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7 in north, otherwise westerly 7 to severe gale 9, increasing storm 10 at times.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first in east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or squally wintry showers, then occasional snow or squally snow showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, or very poor later. Occasional light icing in far west later.
East Central Section
In north of area
- Wind
- Westerly backing southwesterly for a time, 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in south, otherwise high, becoming very high for a time in north.
- Weather
- Rain at times, squally wintry showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
In south of area
- Wind
- Westerly backing southwesterly for a time, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times in north.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in south, otherwise very rough, occasionally high in north.
- Weather
- Fair, then rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
West Central Section
In south of area
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times in north.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
In north of area
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly, 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times in north.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, squally snow showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later. Occasional light icing in far northwest later.
Denmark Strait
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 110000UTC, low 57 north 42 west 975 expected 59 north 23 west 965 by 120000UTC. Westerly winds will reach storm force 10 at times in West Northern Section south of 58 north until 120300UTC, and in East Northern Section south of 58 north from 111800UTC. Low 62 north 12 west 965 expected 67 north 15 west 955 by same time. Northerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 at times in Denmark Strait east of 23 west from 111200UTC, and in north Iceland west of 14 west from 111400UTC. Winds May also reach violent storm force 11 at times in Denmark Strait near the ice edge from 112100UTC, and in north Iceland near the ice edge from 120000UTC.
In area to the west of 30 west and south of 66 north
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, backing westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Snow or snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
In rest of area
- Wind
- Northeasterly backing northerly, 7 to severe gale 9, increasing storm 10 at times in far east, and occasionally violent storm force 11 later near ice edge.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Snow.
- Visibility
- Moderate to poor, occasionally very poor. Light or moderate icing, with temperatures ms02 to ms05, but severe or very severe icing near the ice in north, with temperatures ms06 to ms09.
North Iceland
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 110000UTC, low 57 north 42 west 975 expected 59 north 23 west 965 by 120000UTC. Westerly winds will reach storm force 10 at times in West Northern Section south of 58 north until 120300UTC, and in East Northern Section south of 58 north from 111800UTC. Low 62 north 12 west 965 expected 67 north 15 west 955 by same time. Northerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 at times in Denmark Strait east of 23 west from 111200UTC, and in north Iceland west of 14 west from 111400UTC. Winds May also reach violent storm force 11 at times in Denmark Strait near the ice edge from 112100UTC, and in north Iceland near the ice edge from 120000UTC.
In west of area
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, increasing storm 10 at times in far west, and occasionally violent storm force 11 later near ice edge.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain, sleet and snow.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor. Light or moderate icing in far west with temperatures ms02 to ms04, with occasional severe icing near ice edge with temperatures ms05 to ms07.
In east of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first in north, increasing gale 8 at times in south and elsewhere later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Southerly 7 to severe gale 9, veering southwesterly 6 to gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, occasionally wintry later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for following 24 hours
Violent storms are expected in Denmark Strait and north Iceland. Storms expected in East Northern Section and West Northern Section. Severe gales expected in Shannon, Rockall, Bailey, Faeroes, East Central Section, West Central Section and Norwegian Basin. Gales expected in Sole.
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.