Coast and sea
The general synopsis for UK
At 051200UTC, low 56 north 37 west 983 expected 63 north 30 west 952 by 061200UTC. Low 67 north 03 west 995 expected 74 north 15 east 975 by same time. Low 74 north 15 west 988 losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- In west, northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later, backing southwesterly 4 to 6. in east, northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- In west, showers. in east, occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing southwesterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rockall
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, backing south 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 or 6, backing south or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Wintry showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Wintry showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
East Northern Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 051200UTC, low 56 north 37 west 983 expected 63 north 30 west 952 by 061200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 throughout within 300 miles of the centre in the southeastern semicircle becoming confined to between 50 and 200 miles of the centre from 060800UTC, and violent storm force 11 until 061300UTC within 250 miles of the centre in the southeastern semicircle, becoming confined to the eastern quadrant within 50 and 150 miles of the centre by 060600UTC. Winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the centre in the western quadrant from 060100UTC and until 060800UTC. Westerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 to violent storm force 11 between 50 and 53 north in West Central Section from 060500UTC until 061800UTC. Finally, northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast from 060900UTC in Denmark Strait and the far northwest of West Northern Section, increasing to violent storm force 11 at times in Denmark Strait from 061300UTC.
In north
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 at first in north and east, otherwise cyclonic, becoming mainly southerly or southwesterly, 7 to severe gale 9, increasing severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 in far west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming mainly high, but occasionally very high in west.
- Weather
- Fair at first in north and east, otherwise occasional rain, sleet or squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good at first in north and east, otherwise moderate or poor.
In south
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, increasing storm 10 for a time in far northwest.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming mainly high, but occasionally very high in far northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or squally showers, then squally sleet and snow later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor later.
West Northern Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 051200UTC, low 56 north 37 west 983 expected 63 north 30 west 952 by 061200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 throughout within 300 miles of the centre in the southeastern semicircle becoming confined to between 50 and 200 miles of the centre from 060800UTC, and violent storm force 11 until 061300UTC within 250 miles of the centre in the southeastern semicircle, becoming confined to the eastern quadrant within 50 and 150 miles of the centre by 060600UTC. Winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the centre in the western quadrant from 060100UTC and until 060800UTC. Westerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 to violent storm force 11 between 50 and 53 north in West Central Section from 060500UTC until 061800UTC. Finally, northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast from 060900UTC in Denmark Strait and the far northwest of West Northern Section, increasing to violent storm force 11 at times in Denmark Strait from 061300UTC.
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic, 4 to 6 at first in north and west, otherwise 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 except in far west, increasing severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 for a time in far east and far southeast, then decreasing 6 at times later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming high or very high in east.
- Weather
- Snow showers at first in north, otherwise occasional rain, sleet or squally wintry showers, but squally snow showers in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor in west and good at first in north. Occasional light icing in west.
In south
- Wind
- Cyclonic, 4 to 6 at first in far northwest, otherwise gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 at first in east, becoming westerly 6 to gale 8 in west.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in far northwest, otherwise very rough or high, occasionally very high in northeast and at first in far south.
- Weather
- Squally sleet and snow showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor. Occasional light icing in west.
East Central Section
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 or 5 at first in far southeast, otherwise southwesterly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times until later, then veering westerly or northwesterly later in north and west, decreasing 4 to 6 later in far southwest.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally rough in southeast.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or squally showers, squally snow showers later in northwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good in southeast and very poor later in northwest.
West Central Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 051200UTC, low 56 north 37 west 983 expected 63 north 30 west 952 by 061200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 throughout within 300 miles of the centre in the southeastern semicircle becoming confined to between 50 and 200 miles of the centre from 060800UTC, and violent storm force 11 until 061300UTC within 250 miles of the centre in the southeastern semicircle, becoming confined to the eastern quadrant within 50 and 150 miles of the centre by 060600UTC. Winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the centre in the western quadrant from 060100UTC and until 060800UTC. Westerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 to violent storm force 11 between 50 and 53 north in West Central Section from 060500UTC until 061800UTC. Finally, northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast from 060900UTC in Denmark Strait and the far northwest of West Northern Section, increasing to violent storm force 11 at times in Denmark Strait from 061300UTC.
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first in far north, increasing severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 for a time between 50 north and 53 north, decreasing 6 at times later, veering westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6 later in southeast.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain until later in southeast, otherwise squally snow showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor except in southeast. Occasional light icing in northwest.
Denmark Strait
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 051200UTC, low 56 north 37 west 983 expected 63 north 30 west 952 by 061200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 throughout within 300 miles of the centre in the southeastern semicircle becoming confined to between 50 and 200 miles of the centre from 060800UTC, and violent storm force 11 until 061300UTC within 250 miles of the centre in the southeastern semicircle, becoming confined to the eastern quadrant within 50 and 150 miles of the centre by 060600UTC. Winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the centre in the western quadrant from 060100UTC and until 060800UTC. Westerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 to violent storm force 11 between 50 and 53 north in West Central Section from 060500UTC until 061800UTC. Finally, northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast from 060900UTC in Denmark Strait and the far northwest of West Northern Section, increasing to violent storm force 11 at times in Denmark Strait from 061300UTC.
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly easterly or northeasterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 within 100 miles of the greenland coast, then increasing severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 later within 100 miles of the greenland coast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
- Weather
- Snow showers, then occasional rain, sleet and snow.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, occasionally good at first. Light or moderate icing within 100 miles of the greenland coast with temperatures ms03 to ms05, occasionally severe later with temperatures around ms06.
North Iceland
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7 becoming southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, then variable 2 to 4 later in north and easterly or northeasterly 5 to 7 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in northeast.
- Weather
- Sleet and snow showers, fair for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Occasional light icing near the ice, but moderate at first in north, with temperatures around ms03 in the south and ms05 in the north.
In south
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 at times in north and increasing severe gale 9 at times later in southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high later in southeast.
- Weather
- Snow showers, then occasional rain, sleet and snow, becoming rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor until later. Occasional light icing near the ice in far northwest with temperatures around ms03.
Norwegian Basin
In east
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
In west
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Outlook for following 24 hours
Violent storms expected in Denmark Strait with storms in both northern sections. Severe gales expected in Rockall, Bailey, Faeroes, Southeast Iceland, East Central Section, north Iceland and Norwegian Basin with gales in Shannon and West Central Section.
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.