High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 111200UTC, low 58 north 39 west 964 moving steadily northeast and losing its identity by 121200UTC. New lows expected 61 north 41 west 963 and 53 north 15 west 991 by same time. Low 63 north 01 east 1004 losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate, occasionally very poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming mainly south or southwest, 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southeast becoming cyclonic, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate in east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southeast 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 4 to 6, backing southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- In east, variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later. in west, easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- In east, slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later. in west, moderate becoming rough.
- Weather
- In east, rain later. in west, fair then occasional rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- In east, good, occasionally poor later. in west, moderate or good, occasionally poor at first and very poor later.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Fair then occasional rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first and very poor later.
East Northern Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 111200UTC, low 58 north 39 west 964 moving steadily northeast and losing its identity by 121200UTC. New low expected 61 north 41 west 963 by same time. Easterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in area enclosed between both 61 and 65 north and 22 and 34 west in the north of both East Northern Section and West Northern Section until 120300UTC. Northeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast between 63 and 67 north in West Northern Section and Denmark Strait throughout, this increasing to violent storm force 11 at times from 120100UTC and until 121100UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast between 67 north and 69 north in Denmark Strait from 120600UTC and until 121500UTC.
In north
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly gale 8 to storm 10, veering southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in west, then decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high in west.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In south
- Wind
- Southeasterly gale 8 or severe gale 9 at first in far northeast, otherwise southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 in east and then becoming cyclonic later in east.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain at first in far northeast, otherwise showers, squally at times, rain later in southeast.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
West Northern Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 111200UTC, low 58 north 39 west 964 moving steadily northeast and losing its identity by 121200UTC. New low expected 61 north 41 west 963 by same time. Easterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in area enclosed between both 61 and 65 north and 22 and 34 west in the north of both East Northern Section and West Northern Section until 120300UTC. Northeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast between 63 and 67 north in West Northern Section and Denmark Strait throughout, this increasing to violent storm force 11 at times from 120100UTC and until 121100UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast between 67 north and 69 north in Denmark Strait from 120600UTC and until 121500UTC.
In area north or 61 north
- Wind
- Northeasterly severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 in far northwest, otherwise easterly or northeasterly gale 8 to storm 10, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in southeast.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high in far northwest.
- Weather
- Rain, but occasional sleet in far northwest, then showers except in far northwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
In area south or 61 north
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly westerly or southwesterly, 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times until later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps wintry later in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
East Central Section
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 for a time in southeast and far east, occasionally 7 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain until later in east, fog patches at first in southeast, otherwise showers, squally at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor at first in southeast, otherwise moderate or good, occasionally poor.
West Central Section
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in north and west, and 4 at first in southeast.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high in northwest, but elsewhere rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers, perhaps wintry at times in northwest.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Denmark Strait
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 111200UTC, low 58 north 39 west 964 moving steadily northeast and losing its identity by 121200UTC. New low expected 61 north 41 west 963 by same time. Easterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in area enclosed between both 61 and 65 north and 22 and 34 west in the north of both East Northern Section and West Northern Section until 120300UTC. Northeasterly winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast between 63 and 67 north in West Northern Section and Denmark Strait throughout, this increasing to violent storm force 11 at times from 120100UTC and until 121100UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast between 67 north and 69 north in Denmark Strait from 120600UTC and until 121500UTC.
In area within 100 miles of the greenland coast south of 69 north
- Wind
- Northeasterly, 5 to 7 at first in north, otherwise gale 8 to storm 10, increasing violent storm 11 at times in southwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first in north, otherwise very rough or high.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, sleet, snow or freezing rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, occasionally good at first.
In rest of area
- Wind
- Northerly in far north, otherwise easterly or northeasterly, 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, veering southeasterly 4 to 6 later in southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough except in far north.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, then rain at times, but snow in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in south and very poor in north. Light or moderate icing developing north of 69 north with temperatures ms03 to ms05.
North Iceland
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times in south and west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in south.
- Weather
- Occasional sleet or snow in north and west, rain later in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in north and west and poor later in south. Occasional light to moderate icing developing in northwest with temperatures ms03 to ms05.
In south
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly easterly or southeasterly, 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later in south and west.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming moderate or rough, then rough later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then rain at times, fair later in southwest.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times later, perhaps gale 8 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough or very rough later except in far northeast.
- Weather
- Showers until later in east, rain later in west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in east, becoming moderate or poor later in west.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Storms expected in West Northern Section, West Central Section, Denmark Strait and Norwegian Basin with severe gales in East Central Section and north Iceland. Risk of severe gales in Faeroes with gales expected in Rockall. Risk of gales in Sole, Shannon and East 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.
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