Coast and sea
The general synopsis for UK
At 281200UTC, low 65 north 01 west 965 expected 69 north 12 east 966 by 291200UTC. New low moving rather quickly northeast expected 55 north 43 west 975 by same time. New low expected 60 north 18 west 1007 by that time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Southwest veering west or northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- West veering northwest, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Very rough, occasionally high at first in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8 at first in south, otherwise northerly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps wintry.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Northerly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps wintry.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, veering northeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Northerly 6 to gale 8, veering northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough, then moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
East Northern Section
In east
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 until later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough in north.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
In northwest
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly northerly, 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeasterly 4 to 6 later, occasionally 7 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in southeast.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
In southwest
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly 3 to 5, then southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8 later, occasionally severe gale 9 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
West Northern Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 281200UTC, low 65 north 01 west 965 expected 69 north 12 east 966 by 291200UTC. Southerly or southwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in Norwegian Basin near the Norway coast between 62 and 64 north until 290000UTC. Northwesterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 in the far southeast of north Iceland until 290000UTC. Northwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in far northwest of north Iceland, mainly over the ice, until 290400UTC. New low moving rather quickly northeast expected 55 north 43 west 975 by 291200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 200 miles of the centre in the northern semicircle from 291700UTC and within 150 miles of the centre in the southern quadrant from 291800UTC.
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming easterly or northeasterly 6 to gale 8 later, then increasing gale 8 to storm 10 later in far south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later in south, occasionally high later in far southwest.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Occasional light icing expected later in far northwest near greenland.
In south
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southeasterly 6 to gale 8 in southwest, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 later, occasionally storm 10 later in north and west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming mainly high later in west.
- Weather
- Wintry showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor, becoming moderate or poor later.
East Central Section
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8 at first in far southeast, otherwise northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 in southwest, becoming variable 2 to 4 in west, decreasing 3 to 5 later in far east, then becoming cyclonic mainly southerly or southwesterly, 6 to gale 8 later except in far east.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain at first in far southeast, otherwise showers, becoming fair in west, then rain later in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first in far southeast and then later in west.
West Central Section
In northeastern half of area
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 or 5 at first in northeast, otherwise variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southeasterly, then veering southwesterly later, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in far north.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers then rain, squally showers later in northwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In southwestern half of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in far northwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in west.
- Weather
- Rain at times, squally showers later in northwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Denmark Strait
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 in southwest and later elsewhere, then becoming northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9 later near greenland in west.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate, becoming rough or very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Snow showers in south and west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor in south and west. Light or moderate icing expected later near greenland west of 28 west with temperatures of ms03 to ms05.
North Iceland
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 281200UTC, low 65 north 01 west 965 expected 69 north 12 east 966 by 291200UTC. Southerly or southwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in Norwegian Basin near the Norway coast between 62 and 64 north until 290000UTC. Northwesterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 in the far southeast of north Iceland until 290000UTC. Northwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in far northwest of north Iceland, mainly over the ice, until 290400UTC. New low moving rather quickly northeast expected 55 north 43 west 975 by 291200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 200 miles of the centre in the northern semicircle from 291700UTC and within 150 miles of the centre in the southern quadrant from 291800UTC.
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly, severe gale 9 or storm 10 at first in far southeast and far northwest, otherwise 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 at times in west, then decreasing 4 to 6 later in east and becoming variable 2 to 4 later in west.
- Sea state
- High at first in far southeast, otherwise rough or very rough, but moderate or rough in far west.
- Weather
- Snow showers in north and east.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor in north and east. Light or moderate icing expected except in far southeast and far west, with temperatures of ms03 to ms06, but occasionally severe or very severe icing near ice edge in northwest with temperatures of around ms08.
Norwegian Basin
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 281200UTC, low 65 north 01 west 965 expected 69 north 12 east 966 by 291200UTC. Southerly or southwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in Norwegian Basin near the Norway coast between 62 and 64 north until 290000UTC. Northwesterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 in the far southeast of north Iceland until 290000UTC. Northwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in far northwest of north Iceland, mainly over the ice, until 290400UTC. New low moving rather quickly northeast expected 55 north 43 west 975 by 291200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 200 miles of the centre in the northern semicircle from 291700UTC and within 150 miles of the centre in the southern quadrant from 291800UTC.
- Wind
- Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first near norway coast, becoming northwesterly 6 to gale 8, then decreasing 4 to 6 later in south and west.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers, then wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for following 24 hours
Storms expected in West Northern Section with severe gales in Rockall, Bailey, Faeroes, Southeast Iceland, East Northern Section, East Central Section, West Central Section and Denmark Strait. Gales expected in Sole, Shannon and Norwegian Basin.
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.