High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 210000UTC, low 45 north 50 west 1014 expected 47 north 26 west 1001 by 220000UTC. Low 65 north 39 west 985 expected 63 north 37 west 979 by same time. New low expected 66 north 15 west 989 by that time. at 210000UTC, low 72 north 18 west 992 losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing southwesterly, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough, occasionally high at first in east.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
East Northern Section
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming westerly or southwesterly later except in far northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally 4 in north and at first in south, increasing gale 8 at times in south and later in far northwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, squally at times, perhaps wintry later in west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
West Northern Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 210000UTC, low 45 north 50 west 1014 expected 47 north 26 west 1001 by 220000UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 150 miles of the centre in the southwestern quadrant from 220400UTC. At 210000UTC, low 65 north 39 west 985 expected 63 north 37 west 979 by 220000UTC. Northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast between 61 and 66 north in West Northern Section and Denmark Strait from 211800UTC and until 220400UTC, and winds are then expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the low centre in the southwestern quadrant from 220400UTC. Northeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 in that part of Denmark Strait which lies both between 68 and 70 north and east of 24 west from 220400UTC.
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 in northwest and far north and then later in far southwest, but occasionally storm 10 in northwest and later in far west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high in northwest and later in southwest.
- Weather
- Sleet or snow in far northwest, otherwise rain or showers, wintry at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in far northwest and poor elsewhere.
In south
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times in west and also later in east.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
East Central Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 210000UTC, low 45 north 50 west 1014 expected 47 north 26 west 1001 by 220000UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 150 miles of the centre in the southwestern quadrant from 220400UTC. At 210000UTC, low 65 north 39 west 985 expected 63 north 37 west 979 by 220000UTC. Northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast between 61 and 66 north in West Northern Section and Denmark Strait from 211800UTC and until 220400UTC, and winds are then expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the low centre in the southwestern quadrant from 220400UTC. Northeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 in that part of Denmark Strait which lies both between 68 and 70 north and east of 24 west from 220400UTC.
In north
- Wind
- Westerly, veering northwesterly later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in south, but decreasing 4 at times in northeast and also later elsewhere.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers, occasional rain in southeast.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In south
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 later, occasionally storm 10 later in south and east.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in south and east.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
West Central Section
In north
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times in north.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps wintry in northwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in northwest.
In southeast
- Wind
- Southwesterly becoming cyclonic, then northwesterly later, 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 for a time in south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times perhaps thundery, squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In southwest
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 in south, then becoming northwesterly 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough in east and moderate later in southwest.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Denmark Strait
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 210000UTC, low 45 north 50 west 1014 expected 47 north 26 west 1001 by 220000UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 150 miles of the centre in the southwestern quadrant from 220400UTC. At 210000UTC, low 65 north 39 west 985 expected 63 north 37 west 979 by 220000UTC. Northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast between 61 and 66 north in West Northern Section and Denmark Strait from 211800UTC and until 220400UTC, and winds are then expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the low centre in the southwestern quadrant from 220400UTC. Northeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 in that part of Denmark Strait which lies both between 68 and 70 north and east of 24 west from 220400UTC.
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly, 4 to 6 at first in east and southeast, otherwise 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 near greenland, increasing gale 8 to storm 10 in far southwest and then later in far east.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in east and far southwest.
- Weather
- Sleet and snow at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Occasional light icing near the greenland coast with temperatures around ms02, but light or moderate icing developing later north of 67 north with temperatures ms03 to ms05.
North Iceland
In northwestern half of area
- Wind
- Northerly 7 or gale 8 at first in far northwest, otherwise cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming northerly or northeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches in southeast, occasional rain, sleet, snow and freezing rain elsewhere.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, occasionally good at first. Light or moderate icing at times in north and west with temperatures ms03 to ms06, occasionally severe later with temperatures around ms07.
In southeastern half of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 in far northwest.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough in far west and moderate later in east.
- Weather
- Occasional snow at first in far west, otherwise rain at times with fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Southeasterly 6 to gale 8 at first in far northeast, otherwise cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time later in far south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in far south.
- Weather
- Mainly fair in far northeast, rain at times elsewhere.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor except in far northeast.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Hurricane force winds expected in Sole with violent storms in Shannon, East Central Section and Denmark Strait. Storms expected in north Iceland with severe gales in East Northern Section and West Northern Section. Gales expected in 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.