Coast and sea

High seas forecast and storm warnings

The general synopsis for UK

At 190000UTC, low 61 north 11 west 980 expected 68 north 02 west 986 by 200000UTC. Low 65 north 28 west 972 slow moving filling 992 by same time. Low 44 north 23 west 1006 expected 41 north 15 west 1011 by that time. New low expected 47 north 12 west 1011 by 200000UTC. New low expected 53 north 08 west 1010 by same time. Low 65 north 18 west 982 losing its identity by that time.

Issued at: .

For the period to .

High seas forecast and storm warnings map

Sole

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind
West or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally very rough at first in north.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Bailey

Wind
West or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing west or southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Faeroes

Wind
Cyclonic becoming westerly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Southeast Iceland

Wind
Cyclonic becoming westerly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

East Northern Section

High seas storm warning
Issued:

At 190000UTC, low 65 north 28 west 972 slow moving filling 992 by 200000UTC. Northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 to the east of 30 west in Denmark Strait throughout the period, and also throughout the period in that part of sea area of north Iceland that lies both west of 15 west and between 67 north and 71 north. Northeasterly winds will also reach hurricane force 12 close to the ice edge to the east of 26 west in Denmark Strait until 192200UTC. Storm force winds can also be expected in the south quadrant between 50 and 100 miles from the centre until 191400UTC.

In north

Wind
Westerly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first in northwest, backing southwesterly 5 to 7, backing southerly or southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in north.
Weather
Wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

In south

Wind
Northwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather
Wintry showers, rain later in west.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

West Northern Section

In northeast

Wind
Cyclonic, 7 to severe gale 9 , decreasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather
Sleet, snow or squally wintry showers, rain later in south.
Visibility
Moderate to very poor. Light or moderate icing in northwest.

In northwest

Wind
Variable 3 or 4, becoming northeasterly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Sleet or snow showers, rain later in south.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Light or moderate icing in north, becoming moderate to severe later.

In south

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, backing southeasterly 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Sleet or snow showers at first in northeast, rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first in east.

East Central Section

Wind
Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8 later in west.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Showers, rain later in northwest.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later in northwest.

West Central Section

In east

Wind
Variable 2 to 4 becoming southerly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Fair then rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

In west

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly, veering southwesterly later, 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in far northwest.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain, fair later in south.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor until later.

Denmark Strait

High seas storm warning
Issued:

At 190000UTC, low 65 north 28 west 972 slow moving filling 992 by 200000UTC. Northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 to the east of 30 west in Denmark Strait throughout the period, and also throughout the period in that part of sea area of north Iceland that lies both west of 15 west and between 67 north and 71 north. Northeasterly winds will also reach hurricane force 12 close to the ice edge to the east of 26 west in Denmark Strait until 192200UTC. Storm force winds can also be expected in the south quadrant between 50 and 100 miles from the centre until 191400UTC.

Wind
Northeasterly gale 8 to storm 10, increasing violent storm 11 at times except in far west, and occasionally hurricane force 12 near the ice edge in east.
Sea state
Very rough or high, occasionally very high.
Weather
Snow.
Visibility
Poor or very poor. Widespread light or moderate icing, with temperatures ms03 to ms06, but severe or very severe icing at times within 100 miles of the ice edge, with temperatures between ms08 to ms11.

North Iceland

High seas storm warning
Issued:

At 190000UTC, low 65 north 28 west 972 slow moving filling 992 by 200000UTC. Northeasterly winds will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 to the east of 30 west in Denmark Strait throughout the period, and also throughout the period in that part of sea area of north Iceland that lies both west of 15 west and between 67 north and 71 north. Northeasterly winds will also reach hurricane force 12 close to the ice edge to the east of 26 west in Denmark Strait until 192200UTC. Storm force winds can also be expected in the south quadrant between 50 and 100 miles from the centre until 191400UTC.

In area south of 67 north

Wind
Easterly becoming cyclonic, then westerly later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Rain at times, fog banks.
Visibility
Moderate to very poor, occasionally good later.

In the rest of the area

Wind
Northerly or northeasterly, mainly 7 to severe gale 9, but severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 in southwest.
Sea state
Mainly very rough or high, but moderate or rough in far north.
Weather
Snow.
Visibility
Moderate to very poor, occasionally good in north. Widespread light or moderate icing, with temperatures ms03 to ms06, but severe or very severe icing at times within 50 miles of the ice edge, with temperatures here ms08 to ms11.

Norwegian Basin

In area to the west of 06 east

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly mainly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in south, veering westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times in west.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather
Rain or drizzle, with fog patches at first in west, showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first in west.

In area to the east of 06 east

Wind
Southeasterly 3 to 5, veering southwesterly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Fair then rain, then showers later.
Visibility
Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.

Outlook for following 24 hours

Violent storms expected in Denmark Strait. Storms expected in Bailey, East Northern Section, West Northern Section, West Central Section and north Iceland. Gales or severe gales expected in all other areas except Sole.

Unscheduled storm warnings are broadcast via Safetynet and in bulletin WONT54 EGRR available via some internet and ftpmail outlets

The 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.