High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 171200UTC, low 62 north 41 west 971 expected 65 north 39 west with little change by 181200UTC. Low 50 north 59 west 986 expected 63 north 33 west 975 by same time. High 40 north 43 west 1028 expected 46 north 30 west 1032 by that time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- In west, variable 2 to 4. in east, northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In west, moderate. in east, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 2 to 4. in northwest, southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate, occasionally slight in east. in northwest, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. in northwest, occasional rain.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. in northwest, good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in northwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
East Northern Section
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- High, occasionally very rough in south and at first in east.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good in southeast.
West Northern Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 171200UTC, low 62 north 41 west 971 expected 65 north 39 west with little change by 181200UTC. Southwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in that part of western West Northern Section that lies between 60 and 62 north until 180400UTC and then between 59 and 61 north in western West Northern Section from 181700UTC.
In far northwest
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later near the greenland coast.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches then wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first and poor later.
In rest of area
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, increasing storm 10 at times in west.
- Sea state
- High occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers then rain, then squally showers again later in north and west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
East Central Section
In northeast
- Wind
- Southerly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then southwesterly 4 to 6 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough in north and west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, then mainly fair in north and west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, becoming mainly good in north and west.
In south
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in north, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate in southeast and very rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Mainly fair in northwest, otherwise occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor except in northwest.
In northwest
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain later in far northwest.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later in far northwest.
West Central Section
In southeastern half of area
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 in southeast, otherwise southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers in northeast.
- Visibility
- Good.
In northwestern half of area
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later, decreasing 5 at times later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Showers then rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good at first.
Denmark Strait
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming mainly southwesterly for a time, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in south, decreasing 3 to 5 later except in southeast and far south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate at first in northeast, otherwise rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Occasional sleet, snow and freezing rain in northeast, otherwise rain at times, fog patches in northwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor in northeast and northwest. Occasional light or moderate icing developing north of 70 north with temperatures around ms05.
North Iceland
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times, but occasional sleet, snow and freezing rain in north and west, showers later in southeast.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in north and west and poor in southeast. Occasional light or moderate icing developing in northwest and later in far north with temperatures ms06 to ms08.
In south
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times in south and east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Westerly 3 to 5, backing southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing 7 or gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate in southeast, becoming rough or very rough later, occasionally high later in far northwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in northwest.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Storms expected in West Northern Section with severe gales in Bailey, Faeroes, Southeast Iceland, East Northern Section, Denmark Strait, north Iceland and Norwegian Basin. Gales expected in East Central Section and West Central Section.
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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