Opportunities to Improve Marine Forecasting (1989) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
1. The Marine Observing and Forecasting System
1. The Marine Observing and Forecasting System
Pages 1-13
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The smooth operation of this system involves an international effort of observation and data collection, a national effort involving activities by a large number of federal agencies, a private sector effort involving equipment and forecast services companies, and the user. This chapter explains the steps involved in providing weather and oceanographic services to a ship at sea, and highlights the major issues involved in the process.
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The National Weather Service (NWS) collects 90,000 to 95,000 worldwide marine surface weather observations monthly from cooperative weather observers aboard ships at sea.
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NOAA and the DOD operate weather satellites to observe cloud cover and motion, profile vertical temperature and humidity fields in the atmosphere, measure sea-surface temperature, and portray sea and Great Lakes ice coverage. Table 1-1 lists the present oceanographic observation satellites with
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However, the classical data handling of research missions and the management of the satellites by other nations will likely result in little impact of these satellite data on operational forecasting functions. 1 Government thinking classes satellites into "research satellites" and "operational satellites." Research satellites are those satellites specifically launched to develop and test satellite technology or instrument technology.
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Using SEAS, the shipboard operator can manually or automatically enter, code, and transmit standard shipboard meteorological observations (winds, temperature, pressure, waves/swell, and ice) and oceanographic observations (subsurface temperature, salinity, and currents)
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The accuracy of the resulting product is enhanced through better observations, better knowledge about the physics of the domain, and better computers, all of which limit existing skill. There are three major national facilities that produce global weather and internal ocean weather prediction products: 1.
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lopes of products that NOAA intends to produce at the center during the 1990s include climate applications—water-level analyses/anomalies, sea ice anomalies, biological (fish count) anomalies, mass transport analyses/ anomalies, global ocean flux analyses/anomalies, ocean circulation anomalies, daily global and regional MLD analyses/anomalies, and upper~cean heat content anomalies; coastal environmental applications—water-level analyses/anomalies, biological analyses and assessments, chemical analyses/anomalies, ocean temperature/salinity analyses/anomalies, coastal ocean front and current analyses, mass transport analyses/anomalies, and pollution dispersion forecasts.
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The marine high seas and coastal warnings and forecasts issued by NOAA are examples of a public forecast, while those issued by Navy forecasters to Navy customers or by private weather service forecasters for their customers are examples of a customer-specific or tailored forecast service.
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The Navy has a forecasting field office structure to serve Navy needs, several of which impact the broad national marine forecast and warning capability. Three regional Naval Oceanography Centers the Naval Western Oceanography Center (NAVWESTO(:EANCEN)
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interests in the western Pacific and Indian oceans. Private Sector Forecasting A major and growing sector of the national weather and ocean forecasting capability is the private weather forecasting industry.
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For phone-based users, NOAA operates a highly developed product dissemination system that includes · direct radio broadcasts to the public through the very high frequency (VHF) NOAA Weather Radio system; · facsimile broadcasts to government and nongovernment users; · automatic telephone answering devices operated by telephone companies that directly give the public weather information furnished by NWS stations; direct NWS-to-the-public telephones, including automatic answering devices at NWS field offices and personalized services for public civil preparedness officials; · cooperative "hotline" telephone answering services that provide access to the latest hurricane advisories on a fee-per-call basis;
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Unfortunately, few of these services adequately serve the marine user on the seas. The direct public broadcasts over the NOAA Weather Radio support the coastal marine operator to the extent of the system's limited range and to the extent of the marine forecast time provided on the broadcast.
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In meteorology and in the marine boundary layer, forecast models of the atmosphere and ocean waves have become more precise and more accurate Technology programs have advanced ~ the areas of super- and micro-computers and in satellite remote sensing, creating new opportunities for advancing the operational capabilities for improved marine services.
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