Before we go into the ferry routes that are impacted the most, let’s first zoom out on the seasons that have been most impacted by storms in the last years.
🌊 Notorious Storm-Prone Sea Zones
| Sea Zone | Region | Known for |
| North Atlantic Ocean | East of the US & Canada, UK, Iceland | Hurricanes (Aug-Oct), Nor’easters, winter gales |
| Gulf of Mexico | US, Mexico, Cuba | Warm waters fuel intense hurricanes |
| Caribbean Sea | Between Central America and the Antilles | Major hurricanes from June to November |
| Bay of Bengal | East of India, Bangladesh, Myanmar | Deadly cyclones (Apr-May, Oct – Nov), high storm surges |
| South China Sea | South of China, Vietnam, Philippines | Frequent typhoons, summer monsoons |
| Arabian Sea | Between Oman, India, Pakistan | Cyclones and monsoon-driven storms |
| Mediterranean Sea | Especially the Gulf of Lion & Adriatic | Medicanes, mistrals, smaller-scale storms |
| Tyrrhenian Sea | West of Italy | Seasonal storms, localized surges |
| Aegean Sea | Greece, Aegean Islands | Strong meltemi winds, sudden summer gales |
| Adriatic Sea | Italy, Croatia, Albania | Bora wind events, winter storms |
| Strait of Gibraltar | Between Spain and Morocco | Funnel effect winds, wave convergence |
| Straits of Florida | Florida- Bahamas | Hurricane-prone, strong currents |
| Pacific Ocean | US West Coast, Japan, Philippines | Typhoons (West), winter storms (East) |
| South Pacific | South of the equator incl. Cook Islands | Cyclones (Dec-Apr) |
| Sea of Japan | Between Japan, Korea, Russia | Strong winter systems, typhoons |
| East China Sea | East of China, Taiwan, South Japan | Frequent typhoons |
| Seto Inland Sea | Between Honshu, Shikoku & Kyushu | Localized storms |
| Korea Strait | Between South Korea & Japan | Narrow strait, typhoon impact |
| Lombok Strait | Indonesia (Bali-Lombok) | Tropical storms, swell surge |
| Cook Strait | New Zealand | Constant westerlies, rough conditions |
| Bering Sea | Between Alaska and Russia | Brutal winter storms, freezing spray |
| Southern Ocean | Antarctica ring | Year-round storms (Roaring Forties, Furious Fifties) |
These ferry routes are often affected by storms
As mentioned in other blog posts, though, some ferries need quite some bad weather before they are affected.
- Calais – Dover: Strong winds and rough seas in the English Channel, especially in winter. The vessels however are capable of taking on bad weather.
- Hoek van Holland – Harwich: Exposed to North Sea storms, particularly in autumn and winter.
- Plymouth – Santander: The Bay of Biscay is notorious for high waves and stormy weather.
- Hirtshals – Tórshavn – Seyðisfjörður: Long open-sea route through the North Atlantic, often affected by extreme winds and rough seas.
- Scrabster – Stromness: Frequently hit by strong winds and turbulent waters in the North Atlantic.
- Kiel – Gothenburg: Baltic Sea route vulnerable to winter storms and high winds.
- Cork – Roscoff: Crosses the Atlantic, making it susceptible to large swells and storm fronts.
- Portsmouth – Bilbao: Affected by strong currents and rough conditions in the Bay of Biscay.
- Newhaven – Dieppe: The English Channel’s unpredictable weather can cause frequent cancellations.
- Manila – Cebu: Located in a typhoon-prone region, heavily impacted by tropical storms.
These routes are particularly exposed to high winds, strong currents, and rough seas, which can lead to frequent cancellations and delays during storm seasons.
Be sure to check the weather updates in these sea zones
When planning to take a ferry route where storms are highly likely, it is wise to check weather updates from the respective ferry company regularly. It is also important to be aware that different cancellation policies may apply on routes where storms frequently occur. For example, you may not always be entitled to a refund or an alternative route. Read more here about how ferry companies handle cancellations due to storms.