Coast and sea
The general synopsis for UK
At 080000UTC, low 58 north 36 west 972 expected 64 north 26 west with little change by 090000UTC. New low expected 43 north 46 west 1023 by same time. New high expected 45 north 31 west 1038 by that time. Low 66 north 31 west 979 losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 5 or 6 later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain later, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 at first in southeast, otherwise southwesterly 4 to 6, veering westerly 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Fair then rain, then showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in west, decreasing 4 at times in east.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
East Northern Section
In far northwest
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Rain, sleet or wintry showers, squally at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
In the rest of the area
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8 veering westerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Very rough becoming high.
- Weather
- Rain at first in far east, otherwise squally sleet showers, then squally snow showers later in southwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor later in southwest.
West Northern Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times within 100 miles of the Greenland coast in Denmark Strait, mainly over ice, to the west of 34 west until 081600UTC and to the east of 23 west between 081800UTC and 090500UTC. Also, westerly winds will reach storm force 10 at times after 081800UTC in that part of West Northern Section that lies both west of 36 west and between 59 north and 61 north.
In area to the north of 61 north
- Wind
- Northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9 until later in far northwest and westerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9 later in south, otherwise cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate in far northwest, elsewhere rough or very rough, but becoming high later in southeast.
- Weather
- Rain, snow or wintry showers, squally at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
In area to the south of 61 north
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 in northwest.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain, sleet or squally wintry showers, turning increasingly to snow.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor.
East Central Section
In northern half of the area
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in far north.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in southeast, otherwise very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain at first in east, otherwise squally wintry showers, turning increasingly to snow later in northwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor at times, but occasionally very poor later in northwest.
In southern half of the area
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly at first except in far southeast, otherwise northwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle, then wintry showers in north, but becoming mainly fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
West Central Section
In southern half of the area
- Wind
- Westerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers at first in north, otherwise fair, then rain later, turning to sleet or snow in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, but becoming very poor at times later in north.
In northern half of the area
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6 later except in far northeast.
- Sea state
- High, becoming very rough except in far northeast.
- Weather
- Squally sleet or snow showers, then sleet or snow later in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor.
Denmark Strait
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times within 100 miles of the Greenland coast in Denmark Strait, mainly over ice, to the west of 34 west until 081600UTC and to the east of 23 west between 081800UTC and 090500UTC. Also, westerly winds will reach storm force 10 at times after 081800UTC in that part of West Northern Section that lies both west of 36 west and between 59 north and 61 north.
In area within 100 miles of the greenland coast
- Wind
- Northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first in west, and then in east.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Sleet or snow at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Mainly light or moderate icing, with temperatures ms02 to ms04, but also severe icing at times, with temperatures around ms05.
In the rest of the area
- Wind
- Easterly 5 to 7 becoming cyclonic mainly northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain, sleet or wintry showers, but snow at times in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor at times, but occasionally very poor in north.
North Iceland
In far northwest
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 for a time in north, then increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Snow at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, occasionally good. Light or moderate icing at times, with temperatures ms03 to ms06.
In the rest of the area
- Wind
- Cyclonic, but mainly southerly or southeasterly in southeast, 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 for a time in southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in northwest but rough or very rough in southeast.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, then rain spreading northwards, turning to sleet or snow in north, fog patches in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor for a time, but occasionally very poor in north and east.
Norwegian Basin
In area to the west of 01 west
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Fog patches at first, then rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor at times, but occasionally very poor at first.
In area between 01 west and 06 east
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in southeast.
- Sea state
- Very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
In area to the east of 06 east
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Outlook for following 24 hours
Violent storm force winds expected in East Central Section. Storm force winds expected in Rockall, West Northern Section, West Central Section and Denmark Strait. Severe gales expected in Shannon, East Northern Section, north Iceland and Norwegian Basin. Gales expected in Sole. Risk of gales in Bailey and Southeast 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.