... Marine forecast...
The following is a safe boating message from the National safe
boating Council and the National Weather Service for this years
National safe boating week may 17th through the 24th.
Understanding a marine forecast is critical to safe boating.
Weather and wave conditions can change suddenly... catching
boaters off guard and creating life threatening conditions.
Typical marine forecasts predict wind speed and direction... wave
heights and periods... roughness of near shore waters... and
significant weather. Marine forecasts cover large areas and the
forecast elements are often given in ranges. The significant
weather may not occur over the entire area or during the entire
forecast period. The ranges represent average conditions over a
period of time... usually 12 hours... and the actual conditions may
be lower or higher than the forecast ranges. Boaters should plan
for conditions above and below the predicted ranges.
Take particular note of any current advisories and warnigns...
including small craft advisories... gale... or storm warnings which
alert mariners to either high winds or waves occurring now or
forecast to occur up to 24 hours from now. Special marine
warnings are issued for sudden increases in winds to over 35
knots or 40 miles per hour... waterspouts... and hail three
quarters of an inch or greater and indicate more immedate threats.
Marine weather statements bring attention to significant rapidly
changing conditions on the water including increase in
winds... non severe thunderstorms... development of dense fog and
even snow squalls or strong and gusty rain showers.
You should have a marine vhf transceiver with built in NOAA
Weather Radio channels. If you venture beyond about a 25
nautical mile range from shore... you should consider buying
a good quality high frequency single sideband transceiver and
satellite phone.
Before setting out... obtain the latest marine forecast and warning
information from www.Weather.Gov/marine or NOAA Weather Radio.
Several days ahead of time you can begin listening for extended
outlooks which give general information out to the next five days
in both graphical and text format.
This message was brought to you by the National Weather Service
and the National safe boating Council. Visit the National
Weather Service on the web at www.Weather.Gov and the National
safe boating Council at www.Safeboatingcouncil.Org.
