High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 171200UTC, low 59 north 48 west 991 expected 61 north 27 west 978 by 181200UTC. Low 61 north 09 west 978 expected 64 north 01 east 984 by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Northwest backing west 4 to 6, backing southwest 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, then occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6 backing southwesterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 for a time later in north.
- Sea state
- High at first in far north, otherwise very rough, but becoming rough later in far south.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- West 6 to gale 8 backing southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- High becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- West or northwest becoming cyclonic, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 for a time, then perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- High at first except in far northwest, otherwise rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- In south, westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing southerly 4 to 6 later. in north, cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south.
- Sea state
- In south, very rough or high becoming rough or very rough. in north, rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- In south, rain or squally showers. in north, rain or showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- In south, moderate or good, occasionally poor. in north, moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
East Northern Section
In northern half of the area
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8 at first in east, otherwise cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in east, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
In southern half of the area
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 or 6 becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 then westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later in northeast.
- Sea state
- High at first in far east, otherwise rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair at first in north and east, otherwise rain then squally showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
West Northern Section
In northern half of the area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in south.
In southern half of the area
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6 veering westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, becoming squally, fog patches at first in southeast.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor at times, but occasionally very poor at first in southeast.
East Central Section
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 at first in southeast, otherwise westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in north and 4 in south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in north, moderate or rough in south.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle in south, but in north, rain, thundery at times, then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north.
West Central Section
In northern half of the area
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain at first in east, perhaps thundery, otherwise showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor at first in east, otherwise moderate or good.
In southern half of the area
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6 veering westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain for a time, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Denmark Strait
In far southeast
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
In the rest of the area
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 to the south of 70 north in the east, decreasing 4 at times elsewhere.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough to the south of 70 north in the east.
- Weather
- Rain at times, with sleet in far northeast, but mainly fair in far west, fog patches in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in east.
North Iceland
In area to the north of 73 north
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or sleet in west, fog patches in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in west.
In area between 67 north and 73 north
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
In area to the south of 67 north
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in far southeast, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times, fog banks.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Norwegian Basin
In western half of the area
- Wind
- Southeasterly becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
In eastern half of the area
- Wind
- Southeasterly veering southerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 except in far northeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough for a time in southwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Severe gales expected in Bailey. Gales expected in Rockall, Faeroes, East Northern Section, West Northern Section, East Central Section, West Central Section, Denmark Strait and Norwegian Basin, but with a risk of severe gales in East Northern Section and West Northern 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.
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.