Coast and sea
The general synopsis for UK
At 241200UTC, developing low moving rather quickly northeast, expected 70 north 07 west 966 by 251200UTC. High 50 north 25 west 1037 expected 48 north 26 west 1035 by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
High seas forecast and storm warnings map
Sole
- Wind
- North 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- North backing northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rockall
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, backing west or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high later in north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Bailey
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- West or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough, occasionally high later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 241200UTC, developing low moving rather quickly northeast, expected 70 north 07 west 966 by 251200UTC. Westerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 across the far north of West Northern Section from 242200UTC until 250800UTC. These westerly winds will also reach storm force 10 across the far north of East Central Section from 250100UTC until 251400UTC. Southwesterly veering northwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 across parts of Southeast Iceland from 240300UTC onwards. Northerly or northwesterly winds will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 across parts of Denmark Strait from 242100 until 251300UTC. Northerly or northwesterly winds will also develop in the far northwest of north Iceland from 250300UTC, steadily spreading south and east across a wide swathe of the area by 252000UTC.
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
East Northern Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 241200UTC, developing low moving rather quickly northeast, expected 70 north 07 west 966 by 251200UTC. Westerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 across the far north of West Northern Section from 242200UTC until 250800UTC. These westerly winds will also reach storm force 10 across the far north of East Central Section from 250100UTC until 251400UTC. Southwesterly veering northwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 across parts of Southeast Iceland from 240300UTC onwards. Northerly or northwesterly winds will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 across parts of Denmark Strait from 242100 until 251300UTC. Northerly or northwesterly winds will also develop in the far northwest of north Iceland from 250300UTC, steadily spreading south and east across a wide swathe of the area by 252000UTC.
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 in north.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high in northeast.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
In north
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in northeast.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming high later in far northeast.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in northeast.
In south
West Northern Section
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 241200UTC, developing low moving rather quickly northeast, expected 70 north 07 west 966 by 251200UTC. Westerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 across the far north of West Northern Section from 242200UTC until 250800UTC. These westerly winds will also reach storm force 10 across the far north of East Central Section from 250100UTC until 251400UTC. Southwesterly veering northwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 across parts of Southeast Iceland from 240300UTC onwards. Northerly or northwesterly winds will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 across parts of Denmark Strait from 242100 until 251300UTC. Northerly or northwesterly winds will also develop in the far northwest of north Iceland from 250300UTC, steadily spreading south and east across a wide swathe of the area by 252000UTC.
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly, becoming cyclonic, 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first in north, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough later in west.
- Weather
- Fog patches later in far south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later in far south.
In north
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north and east.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough in northeast.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later in far south.
In south
East Central Section
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
In north
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
In south
West Central Section
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in far west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle and fog patches in far northwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in far northwest.
In north
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in far west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in far southwest.
- Weather
- Showers in far west.
- Visibility
- Good.
In south
Denmark Strait
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 241200UTC, developing low moving rather quickly northeast, expected 70 north 07 west 966 by 251200UTC. Westerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 across the far north of West Northern Section from 242200UTC until 250800UTC. These westerly winds will also reach storm force 10 across the far north of East Central Section from 250100UTC until 251400UTC. Southwesterly veering northwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 across parts of Southeast Iceland from 240300UTC onwards. Northerly or northwesterly winds will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 across parts of Denmark Strait from 242100 until 251300UTC. Northerly or northwesterly winds will also develop in the far northwest of north Iceland from 250300UTC, steadily spreading south and east across a wide swathe of the area by 252000UTC.
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming northwesterly or northerly severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming high at times.
- Weather
- Rain at times, turning to sleet and snow in far east, fair later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor in far east, becoming mainly good later.
North Iceland
- High seas storm warning
-
Issued:
At 241200UTC, developing low moving rather quickly northeast, expected 70 north 07 west 966 by 251200UTC. Westerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 across the far north of West Northern Section from 242200UTC until 250800UTC. These westerly winds will also reach storm force 10 across the far north of East Central Section from 250100UTC until 251400UTC. Southwesterly veering northwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 across parts of Southeast Iceland from 240300UTC onwards. Northerly or northwesterly winds will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11 across parts of Denmark Strait from 242100 until 251300UTC. Northerly or northwesterly winds will also develop in the far northwest of north Iceland from 250300UTC, steadily spreading south and east across a wide swathe of the area by 252000UTC.
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming northerly or northwesterly severe gale 9 to violent storm 11.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming high or very high.
- Weather
- Rain at times, turning to sleet or snow.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor. Light or moderate icing developing in northwest, with temperatures ms02 to ms04.
In northwest
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly, becoming cyclonic, 7 to severe gale 9, then becoming northwesterly severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming high or very high later.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good at first.
In southeast
Norwegian Basin
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough, occasionally high later in west.
- Weather
- Fair at first, the rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
Outlook for following 24 hours
Violent storms expected in north Iceland. Storms expected in Southeast Iceland. Severe gales expected in Faeroes, Bailey and Norwegian Basin. Gales expected in Rockall, East Northern Section, West Central Section and Denmark Strait.
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.