High seas forecast

The high seas forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, on Thursday 09 February 2012 at 2000 UTC

There are no storm warnings currently in force.

General synopsis

At 091200 UTC, low 60 north 30 west 1000 expected 72 north 05 west 986 by 101200 UTC. Low 69 north 09 west 1005 losing its identity by same time. Low 48 north 20 west 1028 losing its identity by that time. at 091200 UTC, high 45 north 46 west 1032 expected 52 north 30 west 1038 by 101200 UTC. New low expected 55 north 17 west 1026 by same time

Area forecasts for the next 24 hours

From Thursday 09 February 2012 at 2000 UTC.

Sole

Variable 3 or 4, becoming southerly or southeasterly 5 or 6 at times.
Moderate or rough.
Rain at times.
Moderate or good.

Shannon

Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, veering northerly or northwesterly 5 or 6 later in west.
Moderate or rough.
Rain at times.
Moderate or good.

Rockall

Variable 3 or 4, becoming south or southwest 5 at times, then cyclonic 4 or 5 later.
Moderate or rough.
Rain at times.
Moderate or good.

Bailey

South, veering west or northwest, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time, becoming variable 3 or 4 at times.
Rough or very rough.
Occasional rain.
Moderate or good.

Faeroes

Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 or 4 at times, veering westerly later in northwest.
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Rain at times.
Moderate or good.

Southeast Iceland

Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering westerly 5 to 7.
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Rain then wintry showers.
Good, occasionally poor.

East Northern Section

In northeast

Southerly or southwesterly, veering westerly or northwesterly for a time, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 at times.
Rough or very rough.
Rain then wintry showers.
Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north.

In southeast

Southerly or southwesterly, veering northerly or northwesterly, 5 to 7, decreasing 3 or 4 at times.
Rough or very rough.
Occasional rain.
Moderate or good.

In southwest

Cyclonic, becoming westerly or northwesterly, 5 to 7, then variable 3 or 4 later in south.
Rough or very rough.
Occasional rain, becoming fair.
Moderate or good.

In northwest

Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7.
Rough or very rough.
Wintry showers.
Good.

West Northern Section

In north

Variable 3 or 4 at times in west, otherwise westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time later in northeast.
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in east.
Sleet or snow in far north at first, otherwise sleet or snow showers.
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Light icing later in far northwest.

In southeast

Westerly or northwesterly, backing southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4 at times.
Rough or very rough.
Fair.
Good.

In southwest

Southwesterly, backing southerly or southeasterly, 5 or 6, decreasing 4 for a time, increasing 7 in far southwest later.
Rough.
Sleet or snow showers, rain or sleet later in far west.
Good, occasionally poor, becoming moderate later in far west.

East Central Section

In northeast

Variable 3 or 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly, increasing 5 or 6 at times, veering northerly or northwesterly and increasing 5 to 7 later.
Moderate or rough.
Rain or drizzle at times.
Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

In southeast

Southerly 5 at first in east, otherwise variable 3 or 4, becoming northerly or northeasterly 4 or 5 later.
Rough becoming moderate.
Rain at times.
Moderate or good.

In southwest

Variable 3 or 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 5 or 6 for a time in north.
Moderate or rough.
Occasional rain.
Moderate or good.

In northwest

Cyclonic, becoming northerly or northwesterly, 5 to 7, then variable 3 or 4.
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate later in south.
Occasional rain until later, otherwise fair.
Moderate or good.

West Central Section

In east

Cyclonic in far southeast, otherwise northerly or northwesterly, veering easterly or southeasterly, 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4 at times.
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate.
Rain at first in far southeast, otherwise fair.
Moderate at first in far southeast, otherwise good.

In southwest

Variable 3 or 4, becoming southeasterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 or severe gale 9 later in west.
Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in northwest.
Fair.
Good.

In northwest

Westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, backing southeasterly 6 to gale 8.
Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in far southwest.
Fair at first, occasional rain later in west.
Good, occasionally moderate later in west.

Denmark Strait

Cyclonic, becoming westerly or southwesterly, 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 at times.
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in far southeast.
Sleet or snow in far south, snow showers elsewhere.
Moderate or poor in far south, otherwise good. Light icing later near ice edge with temperatures ms02 to ms03.

North Iceland

In north

Variable 3 or 4, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time in south, becoming westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5 later.
Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in far southeast.
Snow showers, turning to snow for a time.
Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time. Occasional light or moderate icing later near ice edge with temperatures ms02 to ms04.

In south

Cyclonic, becoming westerly or southwesterly later, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 or severe gale 9 for a time, decreasing 4 at times.
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in east.
Sleet or snow at times, occasional rain in far southeast.
Good, occasionally poor.

Norwegian Basin

Southwesterly veering westerly 4 or 5 in northwest, otherwise southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Rough at times in west, otherwise very rough or high.
Rain or sleet at times.
Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Outlook for following 24 hours

From 2000 UTC on Fri 10 Feb 2012.

Gales or severe gales are expected in all areas except East Central Section.

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