High seas forecast and storm warnings
The general synopsis for UK
At 120000UTC, low 59 north 37 west 961 expected 61 north 40 west 968 by 130000UTC. New low expected 58 north 10 west 982 by same time. New low expected 50 north 42 west 991 by that time. at 120000UTC, low 63 north 32 west 963 expected 64 north 39 west 970 by 130000UTC
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southwest later, 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southwest later, 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southeast 6 to gale 8, veering southwest then becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in far northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- In east, southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later. in west, southeasterly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In east, moderate or rough. in west, rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In east, occasional rain. in west, rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- In east, good, occasionally poor. in west, moderate or poor, occasionally very poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor.
East Northern Section
In north
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly veering westerly or southwesterly later, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in southwest.
- Weather
- Rain for a time later in southeast, otherwise showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor for a time later in southeast.
In south
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in northwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain until later in east, otherwise showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor until later in east.
West Northern Section
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 120000UTC, low 59 north 37 west 961 expected 61 north 40 west 968 by 130000UTC. Low 63 north 32 west 963 expected 64 north 39 west 970 by same time. New low expected 58 north 10 west 982 by that time. Northeasterly winds are 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 until 130600UTC, this increasing to violent storm force 11 at times 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 until 121500UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force in the southeast of Norwegian Basin within 60 miles of the Norwegian coast between 61north and 63 north from 130400UTC.
In area north of 61 north
- Wind
- Northeasterly severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 decreasing 7 to severe gale 9 later in far northwest, otherwise cyclonic 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in far southwest.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first in northwest.
- Weather
- Sleet or snow in far northwest, otherwise occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in far northwest.
In rest of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southwesterly later, 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later in south.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
East Central Section
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming westerly or southwesterly later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later in far southeast and later in northeast.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain, then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
West Central Section
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly becoming cyclonic later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high until later in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Denmark Strait
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 120000UTC, low 59 north 37 west 961 expected 61 north 40 west 968 by 130000UTC. Low 63 north 32 west 963 expected 64 north 39 west 970 by same time. New low expected 58 north 10 west 982 by that time. Northeasterly winds are 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 until 130600UTC, this increasing to violent storm force 11 at times 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 until 121500UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force in the southeast of Norwegian Basin within 60 miles of the Norwegian coast between 61north and 63 north from 130400UTC.
In area within 100 miles of the greenland coast south of 69 north
- Wind
- Gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 at first in southwest.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, sleet, snow or freezing rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor.
In rest of area
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in far southeast.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, but snow in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming moderate or good, but occasionally very poor in north throughout. Light or moderate icing developing north of 69 north with temperatures ms03 to ms05.
North Iceland
In north
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Sleet and snow in northwest, otherwise occasional rain or sleet.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor in northwest. Occasional light to moderate icing developing in northwest with temperatures ms03 to ms05.
In south
- Wind
- Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches later in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later in south.
Norwegian Basin
- Storm warning
-
Issued:
At 120000UTC, low 59 north 37 west 961 expected 61 north 40 west 968 by 130000UTC. Low 63 north 32 west 963 expected 64 north 39 west 970 by same time. New low expected 58 north 10 west 982 by that time. Northeasterly winds are 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 until 130600UTC, this increasing to violent storm force 11 at times 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 until 121500UTC. Winds are expected to reach storm force in the southeast of Norwegian Basin within 60 miles of the Norwegian coast between 61north and 63 north from 130400UTC.
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 to storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
- Weather
- Fair, then rain, fog patches for a time in far west.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor, occasionally very poor for a time in far west.
Outlook for the following 24 hours
Storms expected in East Northern Section, East Central Section, West Central Section and Norwegian Basin. Severe gales expected in Rockall, Bailey, West Northern Section and Denmark Strait, with gales expected in all other areas.
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.