Coast and sea
The general synopsis for UK
At 011200UTC, low 57 north 22 west 964 expected 58 north 17 west 972 by 021200UTC. New low expected 60 north 00 east 979 by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing 7 or gale 8 later in west.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- In south, westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8. in north, cyclonic 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- In south, very rough or high. in north, very rough or high.
- Weather
- In south, thundery showers. in north, rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally poor. in north, good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Easterly 6 to gale 8 at first in far north, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly northeasterly, 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally 10 at first in west.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate, occasionally poor.
East Northern Section
In north of area
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, but 4 to 6 in north.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, thundery in south.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
In south of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
West Northern Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 011200UTC, low 57 north 22 west 964 expected 58 north 17 west 972 by 021200UTC. Northwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 south of 56 north and east of 34 west in West Northern Section from 012000UTC and in the far northeast of West Central Section from 012100UTC both until 020300UTC, and then the far northwest of East Central Section from 020000UTC until 020800UTC. Northeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 within 50 miles of the Iceland coast between 15 west and 17 west from 012200UTC until 020400UTC. New low expected 60 north 00 east 979 by same time. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in the south eastern quadrant within 50 and 100 miles of centre after 021600UTC.
In south of area
- Wind
- Northwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first in southeast.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers at first in east, rain later in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first in east, becoming moderate occasionally poor later in west.
In north of area
- Wind
- Northeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in north.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, sleet and snow in west, otherwise showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor and very poor in west.
East Central Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 011200UTC, low 57 north 22 west 964 expected 58 north 17 west 972 by 021200UTC. Northwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 south of 56 north and east of 34 west in West Northern Section from 012000UTC and in the far northeast of West Central Section from 012100UTC both until 020300UTC, and then the far northwest of East Central Section from 020000UTC until 020800UTC. Northeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 within 50 miles of the Iceland coast between 15 west and 17 west from 012200UTC until 020400UTC. New low expected 60 north 00 east 979 by same time. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in the south eastern quadrant within 50 and 100 miles of centre after 021600UTC.
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first in northwest, backing westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- High, occasionally very high until later in north.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
West Central Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 011200UTC, low 57 north 22 west 964 expected 58 north 17 west 972 by 021200UTC. Northwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 south of 56 north and east of 34 west in West Northern Section from 012000UTC and in the far northeast of West Central Section from 012100UTC both until 020300UTC, and then the far northwest of East Central Section from 020000UTC until 020800UTC. Northeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 within 50 miles of the Iceland coast between 15 west and 17 west from 012200UTC until 020400UTC. New low expected 60 north 00 east 979 by same time. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in the south eastern quadrant within 50 and 100 miles of centre after 021600UTC.
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly, becoming cyclonic, 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first in far northeast.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate, becoming moderate occasionally poor for a time later.
Denmark Strait
- Wind
- Northeasterly 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in south.
- Weather
- Occasional snow and wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Light icing in west within 150 miles of greenland coast with temperatures ms 02 to ms05, and moderate icing in east within 150 miles of the greenland coast with temperatures ms04 to ms07.
North Iceland
In north of area
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
In south of area
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in southeast.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, sleet or snow, but mainly fair in far north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in south.
Norwegian Basin
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 011200UTC, low 57 north 22 west 964 expected 58 north 17 west 972 by 021200UTC. Northwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 south of 56 north and east of 34 west in West Northern Section from 012000UTC and in the far northeast of West Central Section from 012100UTC both until 020300UTC, and then the far northwest of East Central Section from 020000UTC until 020800UTC. Northeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 within 50 miles of the Iceland coast between 15 west and 17 west from 012200UTC until 020400UTC. New low expected 60 north 00 east 979 by same time. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in the south eastern quadrant within 50 and 100 miles of centre after 021600UTC.
- Wind
- Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, becoming easterly 4 to 6, then cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 later, occasionally storm 10 later in southeast.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later in east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for following 24 hours
Violent storms are expected in West Northern Section and West Central Section. Risk of storms in Norwegian Basin. Severe gales are expected in East Northern Section, East Central Section and Denmark Strait, with a risk of severe gales in Sole and Shannon. Gales are expected in Rockall, Bailey, Southeast Iceland and north Iceland.
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.
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.