High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 221200UTC, low 48 north 15 west 981 expected 52 north 04 east 981 by 231200UTC. Low 61 north 33 west 984 expected 61 north 17 west 991 by same time. Low 58 north 55 west 996 expected 57 north 43 west 992 by that time. Low 58 north 02 east 987 expected 73 north 13 west 990 by 231200UTC
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 221200UTC, low 48 north 15 west 981 expected 52 north 04 east 981 by 231200UTC, westerly or northwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 at times within 50 and 250 miles of the low in the southwest quadrant until 230800UTC. Northerly or northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in the northeast of Denmark Strait until 231300UTC and the far northwest of north Iceland from 230500UTC.
- Wind
- Cyclonic severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, becoming northwest 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- High or very high, becoming very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Poor.
Shannon
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 221200UTC, low 48 north 15 west 981 expected 52 north 04 east 981 by 231200UTC, westerly or northwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 at times within 50 and 250 miles of the low in the southwest quadrant until 230800UTC. Northerly or northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in the northeast of Denmark Strait until 231300UTC and the far northwest of north Iceland from 230500UTC.
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, decreasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Very rough, occasionally high at first in south.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
East Northern Section
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in far northwest and far southeast.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, wintry at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
In south
- Wind
- Westerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Variable, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
West Northern Section
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later in northeast.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In south
- Wind
- Westerly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
East Central Section
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly backing southwesterly later, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in north and southeast.
- Weather
- Showers then rain later in northwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
West Central Section
In north
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly becoming cyclonic later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later in southeast.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In south
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first in south, otherwise westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Denmark Strait
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 221200UTC, low 48 north 15 west 981 expected 52 north 04 east 981 by 231200UTC, westerly or northwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 at times within 50 and 250 miles of the low in the southwest quadrant until 230800UTC. Northerly or northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in the northeast of Denmark Strait until 231300UTC and the far northwest of north Iceland from 230500UTC.
In area east of 23 west
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 just northwest of Iceland, otherwise northerly or northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 until later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional snow.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor. Moderate or severe icing expected north of 67 north with temperatures ms05 to ms08.
In area west of 23 west
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 within 50 miles of the greenland coast, otherwise northerly or northeasterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in east, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional snow.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Light or moderate icing expected at times in east with temperatures ms02 to ms04.
North Iceland
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 221200UTC, low 48 north 15 west 981 expected 52 north 04 east 981 by 231200UTC, westerly or northwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 at times within 50 and 250 miles of the low in the southwest quadrant until 230800UTC. Northerly or northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in the northeast of Denmark Strait until 231300UTC and the far northwest of north Iceland from 230500UTC.
In northwestern half of area
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 in northwest, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in far northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, sleet, snow and freezing rain, fog patches at times in southeast.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor. Light or moderate icing expected in northwest with temperatures ms02 to ms05, occasionally severe near ice edge with temperatures ms06 to ms08.
In southeastern half of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain with fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, becoming moderate or good in far south.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in east.
- Weather
- Rain at times becoming mainly fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor until later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Storms expected in Rockall, Bailey, East Northern Section and north Iceland. Severe gales expected in Sole, East Central Section, West Central Section and Denmark Strait. Gales expected in West Northern Section and Norwegian Basin.
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.