Coast and sea

High seas forecast and storm warnings

The general synopsis for UK

At 130000UTC, low 67 north 13 west 958 expected 67 north 09 west 973 by 140000UTC. Low moving steadily northeast expected 53 north 51 west 967 by same time

Issued at: 08:00 (UTC) on Fri 13 Mar 2026.

For the period 08:00 (UTC) on Fri 13 Mar 2026 to 08:00 (UTC) on Sat 14 Mar 2026.

High seas forecast and storm warnings map

High seas forecast and storm warnings explained

Sole

Wind: West or southwest veering west or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: West or northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first in north, becoming mainly very rough later.
Weather: Squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good later.

Rockall

Wind: West or northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first in south, becoming mainly very rough later.
Weather: Squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good later.

Bailey

Wind: West or northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming mainly very rough later.
Weather: Squally showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good later.

Faeroes

Wind: Westerly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time in south.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally rough in northeast.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Mainly westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8 until later in south and far west, otherwise cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high in south.
Weather: Wintry showers, squally at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

East Northern Section

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in far northeast, becoming variable 2 to 4 in far northwest and decreasing 4 to 6 later elsewhere, backing southwesterly later in southwest.
Sea state: Rough or very rough in far north, otherwise very rough or high becoming very rough, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Wintry showers, squally at times, rain later in southwest.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

West Northern Section

High seas storm warning: Issued: 08:00 (UTC) on Fri 13 Mar 2026

At 130000UTC, low 67 north 13 west 958 expected 67 north 09 west 973 by 140000UTC. Northerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in area enclosed east of 24 west and north of 67 north in Denmark Strait throughout, and near the ice edge between 69 and 72 north in area north Iceland throughout. Low moving steadily northeast expected 53 north 51 west 967 by 140000UTC. Southwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in area enclosed west of 36 west and between 51 and 56 north in West Northern Section and West Central Section from 140600UTC.

In area north of 61 north

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in south.
Weather: Snow showers in east.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor in east.

In area south of 61 north

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in northwest, becoming variable 2 to 4 in southwest and decreasing 4 to 6 later in north and east, then becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later, but gale 8 to storm 10 later in southwest.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high, becoming high or very high later in far southwest.
Weather: Snow showers, squally at first, rain, sleet and snow later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

East Central Section

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: High becoming very rough, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers, squally at first and perhaps wintry at first in north, then rain or drizzle in southwest and then later in northeast.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

West Central Section

High seas storm warning: Issued: 08:00 (UTC) on Fri 13 Mar 2026

At 130000UTC, low 67 north 13 west 958 expected 67 north 09 west 973 by 140000UTC. Northerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in area enclosed east of 24 west and north of 67 north in Denmark Strait throughout, and near the ice edge between 69 and 72 north in area north Iceland throughout. Low moving steadily northeast expected 53 north 51 west 967 by 140000UTC. Southwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in area enclosed west of 36 west and between 51 and 56 north in West Northern Section and West Central Section from 140600UTC.

In far northeast

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough for a time.
Weather: Snow showers then occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

In southern half of area

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, but 4 or 5 at first in northeast, increasing gale 8 or severe gale 9 later in far northwest.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high later in far northwest.
Weather: Rain or drizzle at times, fair later in far northwest.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

In rest of area

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southwesterly 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 to storm 10 later in west.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later, occasionally very high later in far northwest.
Weather: Sleet or snow then rain or drizzle, fog patches for a time, mainly fair later in far west.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor.

Denmark Strait

High seas storm warning: Issued: 08:00 (UTC) on Fri 13 Mar 2026

At 130000UTC, low 67 north 13 west 958 expected 67 north 09 west 973 by 140000UTC. Northerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in area enclosed east of 24 west and north of 67 north in Denmark Strait throughout, and near the ice edge between 69 and 72 north in area north Iceland throughout. Low moving steadily northeast expected 53 north 51 west 967 by 140000UTC. Southwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in area enclosed west of 36 west and between 51 and 56 north in West Northern Section and West Central Section from 140600UTC.

In area east of 25 west

Wind: Northerly, becoming cyclonic for a time, gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally 7 in south, decreasing 5 to 7 later in far south.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Snow at times.
Visibility: Moderate to very poor. Occasional light or moderate icing, mainly in north, with temperatures around ms04.

In area west of 25 west

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 until later except in far east, otherwise northerly or northwesterly, veering northeasterly later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in far east, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later in far northeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far east.
Weather: Occasional snow in east.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor in east.

North Iceland

High seas storm warning: Issued: 08:00 (UTC) on Fri 13 Mar 2026

At 130000UTC, low 67 north 13 west 958 expected 67 north 09 west 973 by 140000UTC. Northerly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in area enclosed east of 24 west and north of 67 north in Denmark Strait throughout, and near the ice edge between 69 and 72 north in area north Iceland throughout. Low moving steadily northeast expected 53 north 51 west 967 by 140000UTC. Southwesterly winds are expected to reach storm force 10 in area enclosed west of 36 west and between 51 and 56 north in West Northern Section and West Central Section from 140600UTC.

In north

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 near the ice.
Sea state: Very rough or high, but rough near the ice.
Weather: Occasional rain, sleet and snow.
Visibility: Moderate to very poor, occasionally good. Light or moderate icing near the ice edge with temperatures around ms04.

In south

Wind: Northerly, becoming cyclonic for a time, gale 8 to storm 10 near the ice, but elsewhere cyclonic 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times in east and increasing 7 to severe gale 9 for a time in far southwest.
Sea state: Rough occasionally very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, sleet and snow with fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Light or moderate icing near the ice edge in far northwest with temperatures around ms04.

Norwegian Basin

In east

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in west.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

In west

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8 at first in east, otherwise westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers, squally at first in east.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for following 24 hours

Violent storms expected in East Northern Section, West Northern Section, West Central Section and Denmark Strait with storms in East Central Section. Severe gales expected in Rockall, Bailey, Faeroes and north Iceland with gales in Shannon, Southeast Iceland and Norwegian Basin.

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.