High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 130000UTC, low 66 north 18 west 997 expected 65 north 11 west 982 by 140000UTC. High 55 north 15 west 1019 expected Germany 1021 by same time. Low 43 north 10 west 999 expected 44 north 03 west 1010 by that time. at 130000UTC, low 55 north 44 west 1001 expected 53 north 30 west 993 by 140000UTC. High west Greenland 1029 expected east Greenland 1024 by same time. Low 74 north 07 east 1000 expected 74 north 03 west 1002 by that time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- East 4 or 5 veering south 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southeast 2 to 4, veering south 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rockall
- Wind
- West 3 to 5 backing southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Bailey
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later in north.
- Weather
- Rain, sleet later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor. light icing.
East Northern Section
In northern half of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming northwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering northerly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor. Light icing in north clearing later.
In southern half of area
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in northeast, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
West Northern Section
In northern half of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northerly or northeasterly, 4 to 6, then variable 2 to 4 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first in south.
- Weather
- Mainly fair in west, otherwise occasional rain then wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in east. Occasional light icing in north clearing later.
In southern half of area
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5 backing northeasterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first in north.
- Weather
- Rain at times, becoming fair later in northwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
East Central Section
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5 at first in northeast, otherwise cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming mainly westerly 6 to gale 8 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
West Central Section
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, thundery showers in south, becoming fair later in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Denmark Strait
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 130000UTC, low 66 north 18 west 997 expected 66 north 14 west 986 by 140000UTC. Winds will continue to reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 in the northwestern quadrant of the low within 100 miles from the centre until 131700UTC. Winds will then reach storm force 10 in the northwestern semicircle within 150 miles from the centre. Winds will also reach violent storm force 11 in the northwestern quadrant of the low within 100 miles from the centre after 132100UTC.
In east
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly northerly, 7 to severe gale 9, but storm 10 or violent storm 11 at first in east, becoming northeasterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Snow at times, fair later.
- Visibility
- Poor or very poor, becoming good later. Moderate to severe icing with temperatures ms04 to ms07, but very severe until later in northeast with temperatures ms08 to ms10.
In west
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Snow showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor at first. Occasional light to moderate icing with temperatures ms04 to ms07 clearing later.
North Iceland
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 130000UTC, low 66 north 18 west 997 expected 66 north 14 west 986 by 140000UTC. Winds will continue to reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 in the northwestern quadrant of the low within 100 miles from the centre until 131700UTC. Winds will then reach storm force 10 in the northwestern semicircle within 150 miles from the centre. Winds will also reach violent storm force 11 in the northwestern quadrant of the low within 100 miles from the centre after 132100UTC.
In north or area
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional sleet, snow or wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Light or moderate icing in northwest with temperatures ms04 to ms07, becoming severe within 50 miles the ice edge with temperatures ms08 to ms10 and very severe later near the ice edge with temperatures around ms11.
In south of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, but gale 8 to storm 10 northwest of the low centre, occasionally violent storm 11 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first in east, otherwise very rough or high, occasionally very high later.
- Weather
- Rain at first in southeast, otherwise occasional sleet, snow or wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Severe to very severe icing in west with temperatures ms07 to ms10, becoming moderate to severe later in northwest with temperatures ms07 to ms10.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in far northeast and very rough later in southwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Violent storms are expected in north Iceland, with storms expected in Southeast Iceland and Norwegian Basin. Severe gales are expected in East Central Section, with gales expected in all other areas except in West Northern Section and Denmark Strait.
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.