High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 180000UTC, low 60 north 27 west 998 losing its identity by 190000UTC. New lows expected 58 north 12 west 998 and Iceland 1014 by same time. High 51 north 45 west 1025 expected 51 north 37 west 1030 by that time. at 180000UTC, high 69 north 03 west 1019 dissipating
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- West 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming northeasterly later, 5 to 7, occasionally 4 in south, then increasing gale 8 at times later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Easterly, backing northeasterly later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in southwest, perhaps gale 8 for a time later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in south.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Easterly, backing northeasterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in south.
East Northern Section
In northern half of the area
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in east, backing northerly or northwesterly 3 or 4 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate except in far southeast.
- Weather
- Rain until later in south, otherwise showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first in south.
In southern half of the area
- Wind
- Westerly 5 to 7 veering northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, then veering northerly or northeasterly 6 or 7 later in east.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, becoming mainly fair later in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
West Northern Section
In southeastern half of the area
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwesterly 5 to 7, then backing westerly 3 or 4 later except in far southeast.
- Sea state
- Rough until later in east, otherwise moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
In northwestern half of the area
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 or 5 at first in south, otherwise variable 2 to 4, but becoming southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
East Central Section
In northern half of the area
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6 veering northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time in north.
- Sea state
- Mainly rough, but occasionally very rough in north and moderate at first in south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery at first in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first in south.
In southern half of the area
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first in east, otherwise cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming northerly or northwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain, perhaps thundery, then showers, becoming fair later in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
West Central Section
In northeast
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
In northwest
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
In southeast
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7 becoming northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, then variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain, perhaps thundery at first, becoming mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
In southwest
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 or 4 veering easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Fair at first except in far south, otherwise rain, thundery at times, fog patches later in far southwest.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor in south, then occasionally very poor later in far southwest.
Denmark Strait
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 until later except in far northeast, otherwise southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
North Iceland
In northwestern half of the area
- Wind
- Southeasterly at first in south, otherwise southerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in far west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches, but fog banks in far northwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
In southeastern half of the area
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 5 later in far southeast.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, but showers in far southeast.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in east, and later also in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Gales expected in Rockall and Bailey. Risk of gales in the far southeast of East Northern Section.
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.