High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 231200UTC, low 53 north 35 west 977 expected 61 north 23 west 958 by 241200UTC. High 50 north 12 west 1030 expected 52 north 03 east 1026 by same time. New high expected 64 north 09 east 1020 by that time. at 231200UTC, low 66 north 28 west 1000 losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- In west, southeasterly veering southwesterly, then northwesterly later, 4 to 6. in east, variable 2 to 4 becoming southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In west, moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in far west. in east, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later in west.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate later in west.
Shannon
- Wind
- South or southwest, backing southeast for a time, 3 to 5 increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- South or southwest, backing southeast for a time, 3 to 5 increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, then high or very high later.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
Bailey
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 231200UTC, low 53 north 35 west 977 expected 61 north 23 west 958 by 241200UTC. Winds will reach storm force 10 between 50 and 300 miles of the centre in all quadrants until 241000UTC, then becoming confined to between 100 and 300 miles of the centre in the southern semicircle after 241000UTC, then becoming confined to between 100 and 300 miles of the centre in the southeast quadrant after 241800UTC. Winds will also reach violent storm force 11 between 50 and 200 miles of the centre in southwest quadrant until 240000UTC, then transferring to between 100 and 250 miles of the centre in the south and southeast quadrants after 240000UTC, and continuing until 241300UTC. Finally, northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times after 241500UTC in that part of Denmark Strait that lies both east of 29 west and south of 69 north.
- Wind
- Southwest 4 backing southeast 7 to severe gale 9, veering southwest gale 8 to storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming very rough, then high or very high later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good becoming poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6 backing southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6 backing southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
East Northern Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 231200UTC, low 53 north 35 west 977 expected 61 north 23 west 958 by 241200UTC. Winds will reach storm force 10 between 50 and 300 miles of the centre in all quadrants until 241000UTC, then becoming confined to between 100 and 300 miles of the centre in the southern semicircle after 241000UTC, then becoming confined to between 100 and 300 miles of the centre in the southeast quadrant after 241800UTC. Winds will also reach violent storm force 11 between 50 and 200 miles of the centre in southwest quadrant until 240000UTC, then transferring to between 100 and 250 miles of the centre in the south and southeast quadrants after 240000UTC, and continuing until 241300UTC. Finally, northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times after 241500UTC in that part of Denmark Strait that lies both east of 29 west and south of 69 north.
In northern half of the area
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, increasing storm 10 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming very rough or high, then becoming very high later in southeast.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good becoming moderate or poor.
In southern half of the area
- Wind
- Southeasterly becoming cyclonic, then southwesterly later, gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 until later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming high or very high.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Poor, occasionally moderate at first.
West Northern Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 231200UTC, low 53 north 35 west 977 expected 61 north 23 west 958 by 241200UTC. Winds will reach storm force 10 between 50 and 300 miles of the centre in all quadrants until 241000UTC, then becoming confined to between 100 and 300 miles of the centre in the southern semicircle after 241000UTC, then becoming confined to between 100 and 300 miles of the centre in the southeast quadrant after 241800UTC. Winds will also reach violent storm force 11 between 50 and 200 miles of the centre in southwest quadrant until 240000UTC, then transferring to between 100 and 250 miles of the centre in the south and southeast quadrants after 240000UTC, and continuing until 241300UTC. Finally, northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times after 241500UTC in that part of Denmark Strait that lies both east of 29 west and south of 69 north.
In northern half of the area
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6 backing northerly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 for a time in east, then becoming cyclonic later and decreasing 5 or 6 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high in east, then rough or very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers, wintry at times in far north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming moderate or poor in east, and occasionally very poor in far north.
In southern half of the area
- Wind
- Cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10 until later in southeast, occasionally violent storm 11 at first in far southeast, otherwise northerly backing northwesterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first in northwest, otherwise rough or very rough, but becoming high or very high for a time in east.
- Weather
- Rain until later in east, otherwise squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good in west.
East Central Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 231200UTC, low 53 north 35 west 977 expected 61 north 23 west 958 by 241200UTC. Winds will reach storm force 10 between 50 and 300 miles of the centre in all quadrants until 241000UTC, then becoming confined to between 100 and 300 miles of the centre in the southern semicircle after 241000UTC, then becoming confined to between 100 and 300 miles of the centre in the southeast quadrant after 241800UTC. Winds will also reach violent storm force 11 between 50 and 200 miles of the centre in southwest quadrant until 240000UTC, then transferring to between 100 and 250 miles of the centre in the south and southeast quadrants after 240000UTC, and continuing until 241300UTC. Finally, northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times after 241500UTC in that part of Denmark Strait that lies both east of 29 west and south of 69 north.
In northern half of the area
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southwesterly gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 at first in west, decreasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming very high for a time.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
In southern half of the area
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in north, veering westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Mainly rough or very rough, but high at first in far northwest and moderate at first in far southeast.
- Weather
- Rain for a time, then squally showers in north and west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
West Central Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 231200UTC, low 53 north 35 west 977 expected 61 north 23 west 958 by 241200UTC. Winds will reach storm force 10 between 50 and 300 miles of the centre in all quadrants until 241000UTC, then becoming confined to between 100 and 300 miles of the centre in the southern semicircle after 241000UTC, then becoming confined to between 100 and 300 miles of the centre in the southeast quadrant after 241800UTC. Winds will also reach violent storm force 11 between 50 and 200 miles of the centre in southwest quadrant until 240000UTC, then transferring to between 100 and 250 miles of the centre in the south and southeast quadrants after 240000UTC, and continuing until 241300UTC. Finally, northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times after 241500UTC in that part of Denmark Strait that lies both east of 29 west and south of 69 north.
In northeastern half of the area
- Wind
- Cyclonic severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 becoming westerly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- High or very high, becoming very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Poor, becoming moderate or poor.
In southwestern half of the area
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8 backing westerly 5 to 7, then occasionally gale 8 again later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers at first, then rain later in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Denmark Strait
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 231200UTC, low 53 north 35 west 977 expected 61 north 23 west 958 by 241200UTC. Winds will reach storm force 10 between 50 and 300 miles of the centre in all quadrants until 241000UTC, then becoming confined to between 100 and 300 miles of the centre in the southern semicircle after 241000UTC, then becoming confined to between 100 and 300 miles of the centre in the southeast quadrant after 241800UTC. Winds will also reach violent storm force 11 between 50 and 200 miles of the centre in southwest quadrant until 240000UTC, then transferring to between 100 and 250 miles of the centre in the south and southeast quadrants after 240000UTC, and continuing until 241300UTC. Finally, northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 at times after 241500UTC in that part of Denmark Strait that lies both east of 29 west and south of 69 north.
In area to the south of 69 north
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming northeasterly 6 to gale 8, then increasing gale 8 to storm 10 later except in far west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Rain at times, with sleet near greenland.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor at times, but occasionally very poor near greenland.
In area to the north of 69 north
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6 later, then increasing 7 or gale 8 later in far south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough later in south.
- Weather
- Sleet later in south.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate to very poor later in south.
North Iceland
In area to the north of 71 north
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 at first except in far west, otherwise variable 3 or less, becoming easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight later in far northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or snow until later in central and eastern areas, but fair in far west.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor until later in central and eastern areas, otherwise good.
In area to the south of 71 north
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Wintry showers, then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first in west, then becoming moderate or poor later.
Norwegian Basin
In western half of the area
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4 becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5, then increasing 6 to gale 8 later, occasionally severe gale 9 later in far northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor later.
In eastern half of the area
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first in far southeast, becoming variable 3 or less, then southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair in west but occasional rain in east.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in east.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Violent storm force winds expected in Denmark Strait. Storm force winds expected in Bailey and north Iceland. Severe gales expected in Rockall, Faeroes, Southeast Iceland, East Northern Section and West Northern Section. 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.
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.