Coast and sea
The general synopsis for UK
At 130000UTC, low 51 north 53 west 951 expected 57 north 38 west 964 by 140000UTC. Low 65 north 06 west 968 expected 69 north 11 west 980 by same time. New low expected 61 north 03 east 989 by that time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers, becoming mainly fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northwest 5 or 6 backing west 3 to 5, then south 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Rockall
- Wind
- Northwest 5 or 6 backing west 3 to 5, then south 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Bailey
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first, backing southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
East Northern Section
In northeastern half of the area
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later, increasing gale 8 at times later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough in north.
- Weather
- Sleet or snow showers becoming confined to the far north, rain later in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in north, but becoming moderate or poor later in south.
In southwestern half of the area
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first in north, otherwise rough or very rough, but becoming high later in far southwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, wintry in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
West Northern Section
In northern half of the area
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first in north and east, otherwise easterly 6 to gale 8 backing northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high except in far north.
- Weather
- Rain or sleet at times in south, with wintry showers in north, but some snow at times in northwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in northwest and poor elsewhere.
In southern half of the area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, and again later in far south, but decreasing 4 to 6 later in north.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in north and east, otherwise very rough or high, but becoming very high later in far south.
- Weather
- Rain, with sleet at first in northwest, then squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
East Central Section
In eastern half of the area
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in far southeast, becoming variable 3 or 4 then southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, but becoming fair for a time at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In western half of the area
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4 at first in east, otherwise southerly or southwesterly 5 increasing 6 to gale 8, then veering westerly or southwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming high later.
- Weather
- Fair then rain, then squally showers later, becoming wintry in north.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
West Central Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 130000UTC, low 51 north 53 west 951 expected 57 north 38 west 964 by 140000UTC. Winds will reach storm force 10 between 100 and 400 miles from the centre in the south quadrant until 140100UTC. After 140100UTC storm force winds will become confined to the far northwest of West Central Section. Winds will also reach violent storm force 11 at times between 150 and 300 miles from the centre in the south quadrant until 131600UTC. Low 65 north 06 west 968 expected 69 north 11 west 980 by same time. Northerly winds will reach storm force 10 at times in far east of Denmark Strait between 68 north and 70 north until 131700UTC, and also in far west of sea area north Iceland between 68 north and 70 north until 131700UTC.
- Wind
- Southerly 6 to gale 8 at first in east, otherwise southwesterly mainly 7 to severe gale 9, but increasing severe gale 9 or storm 10 in northwest, and occasionally violent storm 11 for a time at first in northwest, then veering westerly later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in east, otherwise very rough or high becoming high or very high.
- Weather
- Rain at first in east, otherwise squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Denmark Strait
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 130000UTC, low 51 north 53 west 951 expected 57 north 38 west 964 by 140000UTC. Winds will reach storm force 10 between 100 and 400 miles from the centre in the south quadrant until 140100UTC. After 140100UTC storm force winds will become confined to the far northwest of West Central Section. Winds will also reach violent storm force 11 at times between 150 and 300 miles from the centre in the south quadrant until 131600UTC. Low 65 north 06 west 968 expected 69 north 11 west 980 by same time. Northerly winds will reach storm force 10 at times in far east of Denmark Strait between 68 north and 70 north until 131700UTC, and also in far west of sea area north Iceland between 68 north and 70 north until 131700UTC.
In area to the west of 24 west
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming northeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 later in southeast.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough later in south.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, then snow at times in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor in south. Light icing at times, with temperatures ms02 to ms05.
In area to the east of 24 west
- Wind
- Northerly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first between 68 north and 70 north, veering northeasterly 6 to gale 8 later in south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
- Weather
- Snow at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, occasionally good. Light or moderate icing in south, with temperatures ms02 to ms05, but severe icing further north near the ice, with temperatures ms06 to ms08.
North Iceland
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 130000UTC, low 51 north 53 west 951 expected 57 north 38 west 964 by 140000UTC. Winds will reach storm force 10 between 100 and 400 miles from the centre in the south quadrant until 140100UTC. After 140100UTC storm force winds will become confined to the far northwest of West Central Section. Winds will also reach violent storm force 11 at times between 150 and 300 miles from the centre in the south quadrant until 131600UTC. Low 65 north 06 west 968 expected 69 north 11 west 980 by same time. Northerly winds will reach storm force 10 at times in far east of Denmark Strait between 68 north and 70 north until 131700UTC, and also in far west of sea area north Iceland between 68 north and 70 north until 131700UTC.
In western half of the area
- Wind
- Northerly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first in far west between 68 north and 70 north.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Sleet or snow.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor. Light or moderate icing in far south, with temperatures ms03 to ms06, but severe icing further north near the ice, with temperatures ms07 to ms10.
In eastern half of the area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later, but becoming variable 2 to 4 later in far south.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or snow in north but rain or drizzle at times in south, with fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Light or moderate icing in northwest, with temperatures ms03 to ms06, but severe icing near the ice, with temperatures ms07 to ms10.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly becoming cyclonic mainly southeasterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 between 00 east and 06 east, and also at first in northwest, decreasing 4 at times elsewhere.
- Sea state
- Moderate orrough in far northeast, but elsewhere very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain or sleet at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good in northeast.
Outlook for following 24 hours
Storm force winds expected in West Central Section. Severe gales expected in West Northern Section, East Central Section, north Iceland and Norwegian Basin. Gales expected in Sole, Shannon, Rockall, Bailey, Faeroes, Southeast Iceland, East Northern Section and Denmark Strait.
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.
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