High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 130000UTC, low 59 north 11 west 983 expected 69 north 00 east 968 by 140000UTC. Low 44 north 55 west 991 expected 57 north 26 west 966 by same time. Low 60 north 40 west 965 slow-moving, filling 976 by that time. at 130000UTC, lows 64 north 38 west 970 and 70 north 17 west 987 losing their identities
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 4 or 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Rough occasionally very rough in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, backing south 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in northwest.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, backing south 7 to severe gale 9 later, perhaps storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, backing south 7 to severe gale 9 later, perhaps storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Squally showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly southwest, 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southwesterly 5 to 7, backing easterly or southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming very rough at times.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
East Northern Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 130000UTC, low 59 north 11 west 983 expected 69 north 00 east 968 by 140000UTC. Southerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in that part of Norwegian Basin which lies both between 02 and 05 east and south of 63 north until 131400UTC. At 130000UTC, low 44 north 55 west 991 expected 57 north 26 west 966 by 140000UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 300 miles of the centre in the southeastern semicircle, extending to 450 miles in the southern quadrant from 131800UTC, this area then becoming confined to the southeastern quadrant by 140000UTC and within 300 miles of the centre in the north of this area and 500 miles of the centre in the south. Winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 from 140400UTC within 250 miles of the centre in the northern quadrant and within 100 miles of the centre in the western quadrant, then increasing to violent storm force 11 within 100 miles of the centre in the western semicircle from 140600UTC.
In north
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in southeast, increasing gale 8 to storm 10 later, occasionally violent storm 11 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later, occasionally very high later in south.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming moderate or poor later.
In south
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, increasing storm 10 at times later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming high or very high later.
- Weather
- Squally showers, rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor.
West Northern Section
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northerly or northwesterly later, 4 to 6 in east and 6 to gale 8 in west, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in southwest, decreasing 4 to 6 later in west and increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later in far east.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, squally at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
In south
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in northwest, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in far east.
- Weather
- Squally showers, rain for a time in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in east.
East Central Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 130000UTC, low 59 north 11 west 983 expected 69 north 00 east 968 by 140000UTC. Southerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in that part of Norwegian Basin which lies both between 02 and 05 east and south of 63 north until 131400UTC. At 130000UTC, low 44 north 55 west 991 expected 57 north 26 west 966 by 140000UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 300 miles of the centre in the southeastern semicircle, extending to 450 miles in the southern quadrant from 131800UTC, this area then becoming confined to the southeastern quadrant by 140000UTC and within 300 miles of the centre in the north of this area and 500 miles of the centre in the south. Winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 from 140400UTC within 250 miles of the centre in the northern quadrant and within 100 miles of the centre in the western quadrant, then increasing to violent storm force 11 within 100 miles of the centre in the western semicircle from 140600UTC.
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, backing southerly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 in north and west, becoming cyclonic later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
West Central Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 130000UTC, low 59 north 11 west 983 expected 69 north 00 east 968 by 140000UTC. Southerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in that part of Norwegian Basin which lies both between 02 and 05 east and south of 63 north until 131400UTC. At 130000UTC, low 44 north 55 west 991 expected 57 north 26 west 966 by 140000UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 300 miles of the centre in the southeastern semicircle, extending to 450 miles in the southern quadrant from 131800UTC, this area then becoming confined to the southeastern quadrant by 140000UTC and within 300 miles of the centre in the north of this area and 500 miles of the centre in the south. Winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 from 140400UTC within 250 miles of the centre in the northern quadrant and within 100 miles of the centre in the western quadrant, then increasing to violent storm force 11 within 100 miles of the centre in the western semicircle from 140600UTC.
In southeastern half of area
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10, then westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain at times, squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In northwestern half of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming westerly later, 4 or 5 at first in northwest, otherwise 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 to storm 10 for a time in far east.
- Sea state
- Very rough, occasionally high in south and east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain at first in south and east, otherwise squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in south and east.
Denmark Strait
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 at first in far southeast, otherwise northerly or northeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in far southwest, decreasing 4 or 5 later in far north.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in far southwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, sleet and snow.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Light or moderate icing north of 69 north with temperatures ms03 to ms05 until 132100utc.
North Iceland
In southeastern half of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in east and later in south, becoming cyclonic later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in east and far west.
- Weather
- Showers in west, occasional rain in east, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, but very poor at first.
In northwestern half of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northerly or northwesterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in north and at first in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in far southwest and later in east.
- Weather
- Occasional sleet and snow, fog patches until later in south and east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Light or moderate icing in north and west with temperatures ms03 to ms06, but severe or very severe in far northwest with temperatures ms08 to ms11.
Norwegian Basin
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 130000UTC, low 59 north 11 west 983 expected 69 north 00 east 968 by 140000UTC. Southerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in that part of Norwegian Basin which lies both between 02 and 05 east and south of 63 north until 131400UTC. At 130000UTC, low 44 north 55 west 991 expected 57 north 26 west 966 by 140000UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force 10 within 300 miles of the centre in the southeastern semicircle, extending to 450 miles in the southern quadrant from 131800UTC, this area then becoming confined to the southeastern quadrant by 140000UTC and within 300 miles of the centre in the north of this area and 500 miles of the centre in the south. Winds are also expected to reach storm force 10 from 140400UTC within 250 miles of the centre in the northern quadrant and within 100 miles of the centre in the western quadrant, then increasing to violent storm force 11 within 100 miles of the centre in the western semicircle from 140600UTC.
In area east of 01 west
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly veering southwesterly, 6 to gale 8, but gale 8 to storm 10 at first in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in west.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In area west of 01 west
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southwesterly, then backing southerly or southeasterly later, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Hurricane force winds expected in East Northern Section with violent storms in Bailey, Southeast Iceland, Denmark Strait and north Iceland. Storms expected in Rockall, Faeroes, East Central Section and Norwegian Basin. Severe gales expected in Shannon and West Northern Section with gales in Sole and West Central 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.
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