High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 131200UTC, low 67 north 17 west 985 expected 68 north 04 west 970 by 141200UTC. Low 53 north 31 west 998 expected 67 north 17 west 995 by same time. New low expected 60 north 18 west 995 by that time. New high expected 46 north 35 west 1012 by 141200UTC
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, veering southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in far west.
- Weather
- Fair then rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- South 4 or 5, increasing 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later, then becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southwest, becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- West or southwest becoming cyclonic, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps wintry later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- West or southwest becoming cyclonic, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first, becoming very rough or high later in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps wintry later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 131200UTC, low 67 north 17 west 985 expected 68 north 04 west 970 by 141200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 throughout, and occasionally violent storm force 11 between 132300UTC and 141800UTC, within 50 and 200 miles of the centre in the northwestern semicircle, extending to within 100 and 250 miles of the centre in the western and northwestern quadrants by 140600UTC, this then moving to the western and southwestern quadrants by 141500UTC, then becoming restricted to within 150 and 250 miles of the centre in the southern quadrant by 142000UTC.
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 to storm 10 for a time in north, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later except in far west, occasionally very high later in northeast.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor. light icing.
East Northern Section
In north
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times in north and east, decreasing 4 or 5 later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Sleet and snow showers, squally at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Occasional light icing near south Iceland coast.
In south
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming northerly or northeasterly 5 to 7 in north and west and then later in southeast, increasing gale 8 at times later in southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in east.
- Weather
- Rain at times, then wintry showers in north and also later in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
West Northern Section
In north
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 in west, then backing northwesterly 3 to 5 later in east, and becoming cyclonic, mainly westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5 later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Sleet and snow showers, mainly fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
In south
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in east, then veering easterly later in southwest, and becoming variable 2 to 4 later in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at first in south and east, otherwise wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
East Central Section
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times, then increasing 6 to gale 8 later in far southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps squally at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
In south
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 in northeast and for a time in far north, occasionally severe gale 9 in northeast mainly later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, squally at times in north, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
West Central Section
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times, but increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time in central part of area.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, squally at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Denmark Strait
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 131200UTC, low 67 north 17 west 985 expected 68 north 04 west 970 by 141200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 throughout, and occasionally violent storm force 11 between 132300UTC and 141800UTC, within 50 and 200 miles of the centre in the northwestern semicircle, extending to within 100 and 250 miles of the centre in the western and northwestern quadrants by 140600UTC, this then moving to the western and southwestern quadrants by 141500UTC, then becoming restricted to within 150 and 250 miles of the centre in the southern quadrant by 142000UTC.
In area north of 70 north
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in far south.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good. Severe or very severe icing at first in far south with temperatures around ms10.
In area west of 26 west
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in east, decreasing 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good. Occasional light or moderate icing until later, mainly near greenland coast in east, with temperatures ms03 to ms04.
In rest of area
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly gale 8 to storm 10, decreasing 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first in far southeast, becoming rough or very rough, then moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming moderate or good. Severe or very severe icing until later in north with temperatures ms08 to ms11, and light or moderate icing in south, with temperatures ms03 to ms06.
North Iceland
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 131200UTC, low 67 north 17 west 985 expected 68 north 04 west 970 by 141200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 throughout, and occasionally violent storm force 11 between 132300UTC and 141800UTC, within 50 and 200 miles of the centre in the northwestern semicircle, extending to within 100 and 250 miles of the centre in the western and northwestern quadrants by 140600UTC, this then moving to the western and southwestern quadrants by 141500UTC, then becoming restricted to within 150 and 250 miles of the centre in the southern quadrant by 142000UTC.
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic in northeast, otherwise northerly or northwesterly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in far south and in northeast.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Snow showers, then occasional sleet and snow later in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in east. Severe or very severe icing in north and west with temperatures ms10 to ms13 and light or moderate icing elsewehere with temperatures ms03 to ms06.
In south
- Wind
- Cyclonic, 5 to 7 at first in southeast, otherwise gale 8 to storm 10, increasing violent storm 11 at times in east, becoming northerly or northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9 later, occasionally storm 10 later in east.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high, becoming high or very high for a time.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, sleet and snow, then snow showers in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor. Light or moderate icing in northwest and far north with temperatures ms03 to ms06, occasionally severe in far northwest with temperatures around ms09, with occasional light icing developing elsewhere except far southeast, with temperatures around ms02.
Norwegian Basin
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 131200UTC, low 67 north 17 west 985 expected 68 north 04 west 970 by 141200UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 throughout, and occasionally violent storm force 11 between 132300UTC and 141800UTC, within 50 and 200 miles of the centre in the northwestern semicircle, extending to within 100 and 250 miles of the centre in the western and northwestern quadrants by 140600UTC, this then moving to the western and southwestern quadrants by 141500UTC, then becoming restricted to within 150 and 250 miles of the centre in the southern quadrant by 142000UTC.
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first in far northeast, otherwise cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering westerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9 later, occasionally storm 10 later in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough or very rough, then very rough or high later, occasionally very high later in far northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or squally showers, becoming wintry in west and also later in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, or very poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Storms expected in Norwegian Basin with severe gales in West Central Section and north Iceland. Gales expected in Sole, Faeroes, Southeast Iceland, West Northern Section and East Central Section with a risk of gales in Shannon, Rockall and Bailey.
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.
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