Coast and sea
The general synopsis for UK
At 240000UTC, low 52 north 34 west 982 moving rather quicky east and losing its identity by 250000UTC. New low moving quickly northeast expected 48 north 40 west 983 by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in west.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high later in west.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- In southwest, cyclonic 4 to 6. in northeast, easterly 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- In southwest, very rough, occasionally high at first and rough later. in northeast, very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- In southwest, good, occasionally poor. in northeast, moderate or good.
Bailey
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
East Northern Section
In north
- Wind
- Easterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first just south of Iceland, backing northwesterly 4 to 6 for a time in far southwest.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
In south
- Wind
- Mainly easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7 throughout in northeast, otherwise cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northwesterly 5 to 7 for a time, perhaps gale 8 for a time later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or squally showers, but mainly fair in southwest.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
West Northern Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 240000UTC, low 52 north 34 west 982 moving rather quicky east and losing its identity by 250000UTC. Westerly or northwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in West Central Section in area enclosed between 50 and 53 north and east of 31 west until 241300UTC and then in western East Central Section between 49 and 53 north until 250100UTC and then in eastern East Central Section between 47 and 51 north from 241300UTC until 250500UTC. New low moving quickly northeast expected 48 north 40 west 983 by 250000UTC. Westerly or southwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in the southern half of West Central Section from 242300UTC and then southeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 in the northeastern quadrant of West Central Section from 250300UTC. Finally, northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast between 64 and 67 north in West Northern Section and Denmark Strait increasing to violent storm force 11 from 241800UTC.
In area north of 62 north
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 in far northwest, increasing severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 in far northwest and becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 in southwest and far south.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, sleet and snow.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
In rest of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming easterly 7 to severe gale 9 in south and west, perhaps storm 10 later in southwest, becoming cyclonic again later in far southwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in far northeast and later in southwest.
- Weather
- Sleet and snow showers, rain and sleet at times later in southwest, becoming mainly fair later in northeast.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
East Central Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 240000UTC, low 52 north 34 west 982 moving rather quicky east and losing its identity by 250000UTC. Westerly or northwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in West Central Section in area enclosed between 50 and 53 north and east of 31 west until 241300UTC and then in western East Central Section between 49 and 53 north until 250100UTC and then in eastern East Central Section between 47 and 51 north from 241300UTC until 250500UTC. New low moving quickly northeast expected 48 north 40 west 983 by 250000UTC. Westerly or southwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in the southern half of West Central Section from 242300UTC and then southeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 in the northeastern quadrant of West Central Section from 250300UTC. Finally, northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast between 64 and 67 north in West Northern Section and Denmark Strait increasing to violent storm force 11 from 241800UTC.
In north
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6 at first in far northeast, otherwise cyclonic 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 to storm 10 for a time in southwest, then decreasing 5 at times later, becoming southeasterly later in far west.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high until later in southwest, then becoming rough at times later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or squally showers, perhaps thundery, becoming mainly fair later except in northeast.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good at times later.
In south
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6 at first in far east, otherwise westerly or northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 until later in north and east, backing southerly or southeasterly later in west and decreasing 5 to 7 later in east.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high in north and east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or squally showers, perhaps thundery in northeast, becoming mainly fair in southwest and later elsewhere, then rain later in far west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
West Central Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 240000UTC, low 52 north 34 west 982 moving rather quicky east and losing its identity by 250000UTC. Westerly or northwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in West Central Section in area enclosed between 50 and 53 north and east of 31 west until 241300UTC and then in western East Central Section between 49 and 53 north until 250100UTC and then in eastern East Central Section between 47 and 51 north from 241300UTC until 250500UTC. New low moving quickly northeast expected 48 north 40 west 983 by 250000UTC. Westerly or southwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in the southern half of West Central Section from 242300UTC and then southeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 in the northeastern quadrant of West Central Section from 250300UTC. Finally, northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast between 64 and 67 north in West Northern Section and Denmark Strait increasing to violent storm force 11 from 241800UTC.
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10 at first in east, otherwise westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 or severe gale 9 later, occasionally storm 10 later in east.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Squally sleet and snow showers, perhaps thundery, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
In south
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in east, backing westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times in west, then becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10 later, perhaps violent storm 11 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Wintry showers at first in north, then rain in west and also later in east, squally snow showers later in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good at first, but very poor later in west.
Denmark Strait
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 240000UTC, low 52 north 34 west 982 moving rather quicky east and losing its identity by 250000UTC. Westerly or northwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in West Central Section in area enclosed between 50 and 53 north and east of 31 west until 241300UTC and then in western East Central Section between 49 and 53 north until 250100UTC and then in eastern East Central Section between 47 and 51 north from 241300UTC until 250500UTC. New low moving quickly northeast expected 48 north 40 west 983 by 250000UTC. Westerly or southwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in the southern half of West Central Section from 242300UTC and then southeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 in the northeastern quadrant of West Central Section from 250300UTC. Finally, northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast between 64 and 67 north in West Northern Section and Denmark Strait increasing to violent storm force 11 from 241800UTC.
- Wind
- Northeasterly 6 to gale 8, but severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 in far west.
- Sea state
- High in far west, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west and south.
- Weather
- Occasional sleet or snow.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Occasional light icing near the ice edge with temperatures around ms03.
North Iceland
In north
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 in far northeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional sleet and snow showers, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
In south
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 3 in northeast and 6 in south and west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Sleet and snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in far southwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough in west.
- Weather
- Wintry showers, mainly in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for following 24 hours
Violent storms expected in West Northern Section, West Central Section and Denmark Strait with storms in East Central Section. Severe gales expected in Shannon, Rockall, Bailey and East Northern Section with gales in Sole, Faeroes 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.