High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 181200UTC, low 62 north 26 west losing its identity by 191200UTC. New low expected 63 north 01west 976 by same time. Low 63 north 00 west losing its identity by that time. at 181200UTC, high 39 north 22 west 1027 expected 42 north 20 west 1025 by 191200UTC. New low expected 49 north 54 west 986 by same time. New highs expected 67 north 48 west 1008 and 45 north 02 west 1025 by that time.
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in north and 2 later in south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- In northwest, cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northwesterly 4 to 6, elsewhere southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate for a time in far northwest.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southwesterly, 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8,.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in east.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5. occasionally 2 in north and 6 at first in south, becoming northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
East Northern Section
In northern half of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south, becoming mainly northwesterly, 3 to 5 in north, but 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later in south.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate in north and very rough at times in south.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In southern half of the area
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Very rough, occasionally high for a time.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
West Northern Section
In northern half of the area
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly northerly or northwesterly at first, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in east and south, decreasing 3 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In southern half of the area
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
East Central Section
In northern half of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly westerly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later, becoming southeasterly 4 to 6 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, then mainly fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
In southern half of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly westerly or southwesterly until later, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first and 3 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough at first in north and moderate at times in south.
- Weather
- Rain at times, perhaps thundery for a time in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor for a time in west.
West Central Section
In northern half of the area
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time, then southeasterly, 6 to gale 8 later, except in far northeast.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair, then rain later in south and west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later in south and west.
In southern half of the area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 at times later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times, becoming thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Denmark Strait
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly northerly or northeasterly, 6 to gale 8, but 3 to 5 in southeast near iceland.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in southeast near iceland and in far southwest.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle, sleet at times near greenland coast, fog patches at first in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, but very poor at first in east.
North Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly easterly or northeasterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first and later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in far northwest, and rough at times in southeast and southwest.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle, fog patches until later, except in northeast, becoming mainly fair later in northeast.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor, except in northeast.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming southwesterly for a time, 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in south and east.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate in far east and northwest, becoming rough or very rough in south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, squally at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Severe gales are expected in West Central Section and West Northern Section. Gales are expected in Rockall, Bailey, Faeroes, East Northern Section, East Central Section, Denmark Strait and Norwegian Basin.
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.