High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 010000UTC, low 54 north 27 west 1009 expected 59 north 08 west 1001 by 020000UTC. Low 55 north 36 west 991 expected 55 north 29 west 995 by same time. Low 59 north 10 east losing its identity by that time. at 010000UTC high 43 north 22 west 1035 expected 45 north 22 west 1036 by 020000UTC. New low expected 44 north 43 west 1013 by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Northwest backing west or southwest, 3 or 4 increasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate later in east.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, veering west or northwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 4 to 6, then becoming cyclonic later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Fair, then rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
East Northern Section
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, but cyclonic 5 to 7 at first in southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, become mainly rough, occasionally very rough later in far south.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and drizzle at first in southeast and later in west, elsewhere showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first in southeast and later in west.
West Northern Section
In north of area
- Wind
- cyclonic, mainly southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time later in far southeast, decreasing 3 or 4 later in north and west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
In south of area
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, but increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough occasionally very rough in north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
East Central Section
In north of area
- Wind
- westerly or northwesterly 2 or 3, but southwesterly 6 to gale 8 at first in east, backing southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
In south of area
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or 4 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches later in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor and very poor later in west.
West Central Section
In southeast of area
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, decreasing 2 to 4, backing southerly 3 to 5 later, increasing 6 to gale 8 later in far west.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain, drizzle and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor.
In northwest of area
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches at first and later in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first and later in west.
Denmark Strait
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, but variable 3 or 4 until later in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight near iceland coast, becoming mainly moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fog patches in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, but in east, moderate to very poor occasionally good.
North Iceland
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less at first in north, otherwise southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in far south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fog banks in north, elsewhere mainly fair, fog patches developing in west for a time, showers later in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor in north, elsewhere moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Variable, mainly southwesterly 2 to 4, becoming easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, outbreaks of rain or drizzle later in southwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later in south.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Risk of gales in East Northern Section, West Central Section 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.