High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 060000UTC, high 48 north 35 west 1033 expected 48 north 25 west 1032 by 070000UTC. Low 67 north 29 west 1003 expected 67 north 23 west 1009 by same time. New low expected 63 north 12 west 1007 by that time. at 060000UTC, low 41 north 09 west 1014 expected 1010 46 north 02 west by 070000UTC.
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle,.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 at first in southeast, otherwise northerly backing northwesterly, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- West 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Bailey
- Wind
- West 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- West or southwest becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first and 3 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northeasterly later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
East Northern Section
In area north of 61 north
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally variable 3 or less at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
In rest of area
- Wind
- Westerly, 5 to 7, veering westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
West Northern Section
In area north of 60 north
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly westerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5, but increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time in far northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers at first in east, becoming mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
In rest of area
- Wind
- Westerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing southerly or southeasterly, 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Fair, occasional rain later, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Fog patches later in southwest. Good, occasionally poor later, but becoming moderate to very poor later in southwest.
East Central Section
In northern half of area
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, backing southerly or southwesterly later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
In southern half of area
- Wind
- Mainly northerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in southeast, becoming variable 2 to 4 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers at first in east.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor at first in east.
West Central Section
In northern half of area
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southerly or southeasterly, 6 to gale 8 in west and later in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Fair, but thundery rain and fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate to very poor later.
In southern half of area
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first in east, otherwise southeasterly, 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, but occasional rain, perhaps thundery and fog patches later, except in far east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later in, except in east.
Denmark Strait
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northeasterly, 6 to gale 8 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough or very rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and showers, fog patches, but sleet and snow in west and north, becoming mainly fair in southwest.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor, but moderate or good occasionally very poor in north and at first in west.
North Iceland
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly, veering northeasterly later in west and in far southeast, 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in south near iceland.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in southeast.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, drizzle or showers, but sleet or snow in north and later in southwest.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor, but very poor in north and later in west. Light icing in far north throughout, with temperatures ms02 to ms03.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8 at first in east near norwegian coast, otherwise westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Severe gales expected with the risk of storms in the northwest of West Northern Section. Gales expected in East Northern Section, East Central Section, West Central Section and Denmark Strait.
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.