High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 291200UTC, low 52 north 15 west 975 expected 57 north 18 west 953 by 301200UTC. Low 62 north 25 west 986 losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first in east.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- South or southwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough occasionally high in northwest.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 291200UTC, low 52 north 15 west 975 expected 57 north 18 west 953 by 301200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 between 50 and 150 miles of the centre in the southwestern quadrant from 292000UTC until 300200UTC, then in the southern semi-circle between 50 and 200 miles of the centre until 301800UTC. Winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 in the east quadrant 50 to 200 miles of the centre from 300800UTC, and violent storm force 11 in the east quadrant between 50 and 100 miles of the centre from 300800UTC until 301400UTC. In addition, northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 between 66 and 70 north in Denmark Strait from 292100UTC, increasing to violent storm force 11 between 67 and 69 north in Denmark Strait from 301400UTC.
- Wind
- Southeast 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high, occasionally very high later.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 291200UTC, low 52 north 15 west 975 expected 57 north 18 west 953 by 301200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 between 50 and 150 miles of the centre in the southwestern quadrant from 292000UTC until 300200UTC, then in the southern semi-circle between 50 and 200 miles of the centre until 301800UTC. Winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 in the east quadrant 50 to 200 miles of the centre from 300800UTC, and violent storm force 11 in the east quadrant between 50 and 100 miles of the centre from 300800UTC until 301400UTC. In addition, northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 between 66 and 70 north in Denmark Strait from 292100UTC, increasing to violent storm force 11 between 67 and 69 north in Denmark Strait from 301400UTC.
- Wind
- Southeast 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high, occasionally very high later.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
East Northern Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 291200UTC, low 52 north 15 west 975 expected 57 north 18 west 953 by 301200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 between 50 and 150 miles of the centre in the southwestern quadrant from 292000UTC until 300200UTC, then in the southern semi-circle between 50 and 200 miles of the centre until 301800UTC. Winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 in the east quadrant 50 to 200 miles of the centre from 300800UTC, and violent storm force 11 in the east quadrant between 50 and 100 miles of the centre from 300800UTC until 301400UTC. In addition, northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 between 66 and 70 north in Denmark Strait from 292100UTC, increasing to violent storm force 11 between 67 and 69 north in Denmark Strait from 301400UTC.
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly easterly or southeasterly, 6 to gale 8 increasing 8 to storm 10 later in southeast.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later, occasionally very high later in far east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery later near Iceland.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In south
- Wind
- Cyclonic 7 ot severe gale 9, increasing storm 10 or violent storm 11, becoming westerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high, occasionally very high in east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
West Northern Section
In northeast of area
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly, veering westerly later in southeast, 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 in southeast.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later, occasional sleet or snow later in far north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later, but occasionally very poor later in far north.
In southwest of area
- Wind
- Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9 in far southeast, otherwise northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 to gale 8 in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
East Central Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 291200UTC, low 52 north 15 west 975 expected 57 north 18 west 953 by 301200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 between 50 and 150 miles of the centre in the southwestern quadrant from 292000UTC until 300200UTC, then in the southern semi-circle between 50 and 200 miles of the centre until 301800UTC. Winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 in the east quadrant 50 to 200 miles of the centre from 300800UTC, and violent storm force 11 in the east quadrant between 50 and 100 miles of the centre from 300800UTC until 301400UTC. In addition, northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 between 66 and 70 north in Denmark Strait from 292100UTC, increasing to violent storm force 11 between 67 and 69 north in Denmark Strait from 301400UTC.
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly westerly or southwesterly, severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, becoming westerly 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high, occasionally very high in far north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In south
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later in south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, occasionally thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
West Central Section
In east
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
In west
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in southeast, otherwise rough becoming moderate later in far southwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Denmark Strait
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 291200UTC, low 52 north 15 west 975 expected 57 north 18 west 953 by 301200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 between 50 and 150 miles of the centre in the southwestern quadrant from 292000UTC until 300200UTC, then in the southern semi-circle between 50 and 200 miles of the centre until 301800UTC. Winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 in the east quadrant 50 to 200 miles of the centre from 300800UTC, and violent storm force 11 in the east quadrant between 50 and 100 miles of the centre from 300800UTC until 301400UTC. In addition, northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 between 66 and 70 north in Denmark Strait from 292100UTC, increasing to violent storm force 11 between 67 and 69 north in Denmark Strait from 301400UTC.
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 in far southwest and at first in far north, otherwise northerly or northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, increasing storm 10 or violent storm 11 in northeast.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate at first near shore, otherwise rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later, occasionally very high later.
- Weather
- In southeast, occasional rain, elsewhere, occasional sleet or snow, then occasional freezing rain later.
- Visibility
- Good at first in south and west, otherwise moderate to poor, occasionally very poor. Occasional light icing later in far north with temperatures of ms02.
North Iceland
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, sleet and snow, freezing rain later in north and fog patches later in south.
- Visibility
- Mainly good at first, becoming mainly moderate to poor, occasionally very poor. Occasional light icing later in far northwest with temperatures of ms02.
In south
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or sleet, fog patches later in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, but occasionally very poor later in south.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later except in far east.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming rough or very rough in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain in west, fog patches later in far west.
- Visibility
- Good in east, moderate or good, occasionally poor in west, but occasionally very poor later in far west.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Violent storms expected in Denmark Strait. Storms expected in Bailey. Severe gales expected in Rockall, Faeroes, Southeast Iceland, East Northern Section, West Northern Section and north Iceland. Gales expected in East Central Section, West Central 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.
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