This week marks the arrival of autumn, bringing windy and unsettled conditions to the North Sea. On Tuesday, a low-pressure system is moving northeast across the area, heading towards southern Scandinavia by Wednesday. In the northern North Sea, this will result in near-gale winds and waves reaching up to 4 meters. Another low-pressure system is expected to follow a similar path on Thursday and Friday, producing strong northerly winds over large parts of the North Sea and waves around 4 meters.
After the relatively calm, high-pressure weather of last week, this week will bring more dynamic conditions. The current low-pressure system will bring near-gale winds and significant wave heights up to 4 meters, especially along the southern coast of Norway. In the German Bight, strong breezes are expected, with waves reaching around 2.5 meters. Late Wednesday and early Thursday, conditions may temporarily improve, but the respite will be short-lived.
Figure 1: Near-gale northerly winds near the coast of Norway on Wednesday, with wave heights reaching 4 meters in some regions.
Another low-pressure system is forecasted to move northeast from England to southern Scandinavia on Thursday and Friday. This will generate strong northerly winds on the western side of the low, affecting large parts of the North Sea and bringing wave heights up to 4 meters. These adverse conditions, coupled with unsettled weather and frequent showers, will persist through Saturday.
Figure 2: Strong northerly winds with near-gale conditions across large parts of the North Sea on Friday, causing wave heights around 4 meters.
The extreme southern part of the North Sea may experience a temporary break in the weather on Sunday due to high pressure over France, leading to calmer conditions. However, by the beginning of next week, another Atlantic low is expected southwest of Ireland, likely bringing more wind and rain.
