High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 251200UTC, low 66 north 15 west 971 expected 66 north 16 west 982 by 261200UTC. Low 56 north 41 west 993 expected 57 north 24 west 988 by same time.
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- West or northwest, backing southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 for a time in south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery in northwest.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers, thundery at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later, except in far southwest.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
East Northern Section
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming northerly or northeasterly later in west, but variable 3 or less later in east.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough, occasionally moderate later near Iceland.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In south
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 at times in north.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
West Northern Section
In north
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly veering northeasterly, 6 to gale 8 in northeast, elsewhere, variable becoming mainly northeasterly later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in northeast, and moderate at times later in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
In south
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in south, becoming northwesterly 5 to 7 later, but variable 2 to 4 later in far northwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
East Central Section
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first in far southeast, otherwise westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing 7 or gale 8 in north.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in far north and moderate at times later in southeast.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
West Central Section
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly, veering northwesterly later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later in north.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, thundery until later in north, mainly fair later in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north.
Denmark Strait
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 251200UTC, low 66 north 15 west 971 expected 66 north 16 west 982 by 261200UTC. Northerly winds will reach storm force 10 in the Denmark Strait, in an area east of 24 west and between Iceland and 70 north until 261100UTC. Northerly winds will also reach storm force 10 in the far west of north Iceland, in an area west of 19 west and between 68 and 70 north until 260800UTC.
In area west of 24 west and south of 70 north
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate later in west and southwest.
- Weather
- Rain or sleet in east, good, occasionally poor in east.
- Visibility
In rest of area
- Wind
- Northerly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 until later in east.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first.
- Weather
- Rain or sleet in south, and snow at times in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor in north.
North Iceland
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 251200UTC, low 66 north 15 west 971 expected 66 north 16 west 982 by 261200UTC. Northerly winds will reach storm force 10 in the Denmark Strait, in an area east of 24 west and between Iceland and 70 north until 261100UTC. Northerly winds will also reach storm force 10 in the far west of north Iceland, in an area west of 19 west and between 68 and 70 north until 260800UTC.
In the area west of 13 west
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 in far west until later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain or sleet, but snow at times in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor in north. Light icing later in northwest near greenland, with temperature ms02 or ms03.
In southeast of the area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In northeast of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Mainly rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or sleet and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor, but good at times in southeast.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 for a time in east.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery in west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Severe gales expected in Denmark Strait and north Iceland. Gales expected in East Northern Section, West Northern Section, East Central Section and Norwegian Basin, with a risk of gales in Rockall, Bailey and Faeroes.
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.