High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 201200UTC, lows 64 north 34 west 985 and 56 north 14 west 994 both losing their identities by 211200UTC. New lows expected 62 north 34 west 987, 64 north 29 west 986 and 46 north 37 west 1010 by same time. High 45 north 34 west 1032 expected 41 north 21 west 1030 by that time. at 201200UTC, high 76 north 15 west 1017 dissipating by 211200UTC
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming west or northwest, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming west or northwest, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming west or northwest, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southeast veering northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southeast 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
East Northern Section
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 or 6 at first in far southeast, otherwise westerly or southwesterly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough near Iceland.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, squally at times, and also occasionally wintry in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
West Northern Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
Northerly or northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times in the far northwest of sea area north Iceland until 210500UTC. In addition, northerly or northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times after 211900UTC between 34 west and 36 west in Denmark Strait and also in that part of West Northern Section that lies both north of 64 north and between 35 west and 36 west.
In northern half of the area
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly 3 to 5, but 6 to gale 8 in far northwest, and increasing 6 to gale 8 later in far north and far northeast, then increasing severe gale 9 or storm 10 later in far north between 35 west and 36 west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first in west, otherwise rough or very rough, but occasionally high later in far north and far northwest.
- Weather
- Rain, sleet or wintry showers, with snow at times in far north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor at times, but occasionally very poor in far north.
In southern half of the area
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7 veering westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming high later in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers, turning to sleet or snow.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first and very poor later.
East Central Section
- Wind
- Northwesterly at first in east and south, otherwise westerly or southwesterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 between 48 north and 51 north.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, squally at times, and becoming thundery later in far southwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
West Central Section
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first between 49 north and 52 north, then veering northwesterly 4 to 6 later in north but becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later in south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers, becoming wintry in north, then thundery rain developing in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Denmark Strait
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
Northerly or northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times in the far northwest of sea area north Iceland until 210500UTC. In addition, northerly or northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times after 211900UTC between 34 west and 36 west in Denmark Strait and also in that part of West Northern Section that lies both north of 64 north and between 35 west and 36 west.
In southeast
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming easterly or northeasterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or sleet at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In area to the north of 70 north
- Wind
- Northerly 7 to severe gale 9 decreasing 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Snow, then becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Poor or very poor becoming moderate or good. Severe icing at first, with temperatures ms05 to ms08, then becoming light or moderate, with temperatures ms04 to ms07, before dying out later.
In the rest of the area
- Wind
- Northeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in west, then increasing severe gale 9 or storm 10 later between 34 west and 36 west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later in west.
- Weather
- Sleet or snow at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Light or moderate icing within 100 miles of greenland, with temperatures ms02 to ms04.
North Iceland
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
Northerly or northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times in the far northwest of sea area north Iceland until 210500UTC. In addition, northerly or northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times after 211900UTC between 34 west and 36 west in Denmark Strait and also in that part of West Northern Section that lies both north of 64 north and between 35 west and 36 west.
In far northwest
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly gale 8 to storm 10 decreasing 6 to gale 8, then becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Snow, then becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Poor or very poor, becoming moderate or good later. Severe icing at first, with temperatures ms07 to ms10, then becoming light or moderate, before dying out later.
In the rest of the area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough at first except near Iceland, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle in south and east but sleet or snow at times in north and west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in south and east and very poor in north and west. Light or moderate icing until later in northwest, with temperatures ms02 to ms05.
Norwegian Basin
In western half of the area
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in south.
- Sea state
- Rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
In eastern half of the area
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly veering southeasterly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 in far northeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Violent storm force winds expected in Sole and Shannon. Storm force winds expected in West Northern Section and Denmark Strait. Severe gales expected in East Central Section and north Iceland. Gales expected 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.