High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 211200UTC, low 46 north 38 west 1008 expected 49 north 15 west 980 by 221200UTC. New lows expected 67 north 20 west 987 and 59 north 01 east 987 by same time. Low 64 north 30 west 987 expected 61 north 32 west 983 by that time. New high expected 46 north 34 west 1029 by 221200UTC. Lows 62 north 33 west 987 and 61 north 11 west 993 both losing their identities
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 211200UTC, low 46 north 38 west 1008 expected 49 north 15 west 980 by 221200UTC. Winds will reach storm force 10 within 150 miles of the centre in the southwestern semicircle after 220400UTC, and also violent storm force 11 within 100 miles of the centre in the southwest quadrant after 220700UTC. In addition, northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times until 220200UTC to the west of 34 west in Denmark Strait and in the far northwest of West Northern Section. Finally, northerly or northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 after 220700UTC in that part of Denmark Strait that lies both to the east of 24 west and between 68 north and 71 north.
- Wind
- Westerly backing southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming cyclonic severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming high or very high later in west.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Shannon
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 211200UTC, low 46 north 38 west 1008 expected 49 north 15 west 980 by 221200UTC. Winds will reach storm force 10 within 150 miles of the centre in the southwestern semicircle after 220400UTC, and also violent storm force 11 within 100 miles of the centre in the southwest quadrant after 220700UTC. In addition, northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times until 220200UTC to the west of 34 west in Denmark Strait and in the far northwest of West Northern Section. Finally, northerly or northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 after 220700UTC in that part of Denmark Strait that lies both to the east of 24 west and between 68 north and 71 north.
- Wind
- West 6 to gale 8 backing southwest 3 or 4, becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Bailey
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
East Northern Section
In northern half of the area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain, sleet or showers, wintry at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
In southern half of the area
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 in east, increasing gale 8 at times later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming high later in west.
- Weather
- Rain or squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
West Northern Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 211200UTC, low 46 north 38 west 1008 expected 49 north 15 west 980 by 221200UTC. Winds will reach storm force 10 within 150 miles of the centre in the southwestern semicircle after 220400UTC, and also violent storm force 11 within 100 miles of the centre in the southwest quadrant after 220700UTC. In addition, northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times until 220200UTC to the west of 34 west in Denmark Strait and in the far northwest of West Northern Section. Finally, northerly or northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 after 220700UTC in that part of Denmark Strait that lies both to the east of 24 west and between 68 north and 71 north.
In northern half of the area
- Wind
- Cyclonic, 4 to 6 at first in south and east, otherwise 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first in far northwest, then decreasing 4 to 6 later in all areas.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high at first in northwest, otherwise rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain, sleet or squally wintry showers, with snow at times in far northwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor in northwest and good in southeast.
In southern half of the area
- Wind
- Westerly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in north.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Squally wintry showers, then rain later in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor at first.
East Central Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 211200UTC, low 46 north 38 west 1008 expected 49 north 15 west 980 by 221200UTC. Winds will reach storm force 10 within 150 miles of the centre in the southwestern semicircle after 220400UTC, and also violent storm force 11 within 100 miles of the centre in the southwest quadrant after 220700UTC. In addition, northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times until 220200UTC to the west of 34 west in Denmark Strait and in the far northwest of West Northern Section. Finally, northerly or northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 after 220700UTC in that part of Denmark Strait that lies both to the east of 24 west and between 68 north and 71 north.
In area to the north of 52 north
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, squally and wintry at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In area to the south of 52 north
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 in east, becoming northwesterly 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high, becoming rough again later in west.
- Weather
- Rain, thundery at times, then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
West Central Section
In southeast
- Wind
- Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 becoming northwesterly 5 or 6, backing westerly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain, thundery at times, then showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Poor, becoming moderate or good.
In southwest
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 or 6 becoming variable 2 to 4, then southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
In north
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly, backing southwesterly later in west, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in northeast.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers, wintry at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Denmark Strait
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 211200UTC, low 46 north 38 west 1008 expected 49 north 15 west 980 by 221200UTC. Winds will reach storm force 10 within 150 miles of the centre in the southwestern semicircle after 220400UTC, and also violent storm force 11 within 100 miles of the centre in the southwest quadrant after 220700UTC. In addition, northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times until 220200UTC to the west of 34 west in Denmark Strait and in the far northwest of West Northern Section. Finally, northerly or northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 after 220700UTC in that part of Denmark Strait that lies both to the east of 24 west and between 68 north and 71 north.
In western half of the area
- Wind
- Northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first to the west of 34 west, decreasing 4 to 6 later, then becoming variable 2 to 4 later near greenland.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Sleet or snow at times, but becoming fair later in far west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Occasional light icing at first near the coast, with temperatures ms02 or ms03.
In eastern half of the area
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6 increasing 7 to severe gale 9, then increasing severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 in east between 68 north and 71 north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Sleet or snow at times, turning to rain or sleet in southeast.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, occasionally good. Light or moderate icing to the north of 67 north, with temperatures ms02 to ms05, but severe icing developing later to the north of 69 north, with temperatures ms05 to ms07.
North Iceland
In northwestern half of the area
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6 increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, then snow.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate to very poor. Light or moderate icing, with temperatures ms02 to ms05, but severe or very severe icing developing in far northwest, with temperatures ms06 to ms09.
In southeastern half of the area
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times, with fog patches, but becoming fair later in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, becoming good later in south.
Norwegian Basin
In area to the west of 05 east
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time at first, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later, occasionally severe gale 9 later in southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in south.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In area to the east of 05 east
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Hurricane force winds expected in Sole. Violent storm force winds expected in Shannon and north Iceland. Storm force winds expected in Denmark Strait. Severe gales expected in Norwegian Basin. Gales expected in both northern sections and both central sections, possibly severe in the central sections. Risk of gales later in Bailey and Southeast Iceland.
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.
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