Coast and sea
The general synopsis for UK
At 140000UTC, low 49 north 42 west 968 expected 54 north 38 west 971 by 150000UTC. Low 65 north 31 west 986 losing its identity by same time. High 48 north 15 east 1042 moving away to the east by that time. New high expected 49 north 01 west 1036 by 150000UTC. New lows expected 69 north 15 west 977, 61 north 31 west 973 and 44 north 39 west 999 by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming moderate or rough in east.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle at first in northwest, otherwise fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 later in north.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Drizzle and fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Poor or very poor, becoming good.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6, increasing 7 or gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, backing south or southwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, backing south or southwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6, increasing 7 or gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
East Northern Section
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly, veering southwesterly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in west.
- Sea state
- Very rough, but occasionally rough at first in north, becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle, showers later in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good later.
In north
- Wind
- Southerly, veering southwesterly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in west.
- Sea state
- Very rough, becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle for a time, showers later in west.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
In south
West Northern Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 140000UTC, low 49 north 42 west 968 expected 54 north 38 west 971 by 150000UTC. Southwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in the southeastern quadrant of the low, within 100 and 150 miles of the low centre until 141500UTC. In addition northerly or northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 to violent storm force 11 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast, mainly over the ice, in Denmark Strait throughout, gradually becoming confined to north of 67 north from 141500UTC but broadening to within 150 miles of the Greenland coast, this extending into sea area north Iceland from 141500UTC until 150600UTC between 68 and 73 north and west of 18 west.
- Wind
- Northeasterly 5 or 6, but cyclonic 4 or 5 at first in north, backing northerly 6 to gale 8, then northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in southeast.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, sleet and snow at first, then wintry showers, moderate or poor at first, otherwise moderate or good, occasionally poor.
- Visibility
- Occasional light or moderate icing expected in north.
In northwest
- Wind
- Southerly, veering southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10 later in south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high, occasionally very high later in south.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
In southeast
East Central Section
- Wind
- Southerly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later except in northwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times, then mainly fair later in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
West Central Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 140000UTC, low 49 north 42 west 968 expected 54 north 38 west 971 by 150000UTC. Southwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in the southeastern quadrant of the low, within 100 and 150 miles of the low centre until 141500UTC. In addition northerly or northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 to violent storm force 11 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast, mainly over the ice, in Denmark Strait throughout, gradually becoming confined to north of 67 north from 141500UTC but broadening to within 150 miles of the Greenland coast, this extending into sea area north Iceland from 141500UTC until 150600UTC between 68 and 73 north and west of 18 west.
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly southerly or southwesterly, 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 6 at times in south, occasionally storm 10 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery at times, fog patches at first in northwest, becoming mainly fair later in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, and very poor at first in northwest.
Denmark Strait
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 140000UTC, low 49 north 42 west 968 expected 54 north 38 west 971 by 150000UTC. Southwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in the southeastern quadrant of the low, within 100 and 150 miles of the low centre until 141500UTC. In addition northerly or northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 to violent storm force 11 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast, mainly over the ice, in Denmark Strait throughout, gradually becoming confined to north of 67 north from 141500UTC but broadening to within 150 miles of the Greenland coast, this extending into sea area north Iceland from 141500UTC until 150600UTC between 68 and 73 north and west of 18 west.
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 or 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then rain, sleet and snow, fog patches near Iceland.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor, occasionally very poor. Moderate or severe icing developing north of 66 north from 141400utc with temperatures of ms04 to ms07.
In southeast
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly, storm force 10 to violent storm force 11, decreasing 7 to severe gale 9 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in east.
- Weather
- Sleet or snow at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor. Moderate or severe icing expected mainly near ice edge but broadening to within 100 miles of the ice edge from 141200utc, with temperatures of ms05 to ms08, becoming very severe at times north of 67 north with temperatures of ms09 to ms13.
In rest of area
North Iceland
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 140000UTC, low 49 north 42 west 968 expected 54 north 38 west 971 by 150000UTC. Southwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in the southeastern quadrant of the low, within 100 and 150 miles of the low centre until 141500UTC. In addition northerly or northeasterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 to violent storm force 11 within 100 miles of the Greenland coast, mainly over the ice, in Denmark Strait throughout, gradually becoming confined to north of 67 north from 141500UTC but broadening to within 150 miles of the Greenland coast, this extending into sea area north Iceland from 141500UTC until 150600UTC between 68 and 73 north and west of 18 west.
- Wind
- Southwesterly, backing southerly for a time, 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming mainly very rough later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair at first in south, otherwise occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good at first in south, otherwise moderate or poor, occasionally very poor.
In southeast
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 or storm 10.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Snow.
- Visibility
- Poor or very poor, occasionally moderate. Moderate to severe icing within 100 miles of ice edge north of 70 north.
In northwest
- Wind
- Rest of area, cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and fog patches in southeast, sleet or snow at times elsewhere.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor. Moderate or severe icing developing west of 14 west from 141200utc with temperatures of ms05 to ms08, becoming very severe at times near ice edge with temperatures of ms010 to ms13.
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in fair east.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers at first, rain or drizzle spreading eastwards.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Outlook for following 24 hours
Storms expected in, West Northern Section, West Central Section, Denmark Strait and north Iceland. Severe gales expected in Southeast Iceland, East Northern Section and Norwegian Basin, with gales in all other areas except Sole and Shannon.
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.