Mariners Weather Log Vol

Mariners Weather Log Vol. 45, No. 1 April 2001 A Fresh Breeze in the West Wind Belt In: The South Pole, by Roald Amundsen, 1872-1928 From Treasures of the NOAA Library Collection Archival Photograph by Mr. Steve Nicklas, NOS, NGS Mariners Weather Log From the National Data Buoy Mariners Weather Log Center As Marty Baron announced last issue, the Mariners Weather Log is now under our purview. I want all readers to know that we take this responsibility seriously and know that we have a tough act to follow. Marty produced a valuable, high quality U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE document and we aim to keep it that way. Donald L. Evans, Secretary NDBC picked up production of the MWL when we began managing the NWS Voluntary Observing Ship (VOS) Program. For more than 25 years, we have National Oceanic and operated NOAA’s Marine Observation Network of buoys and coastal stations and are excited about now Atmospheric Administration integrating the VOS Program into our operations. We Scott B. Gudes, Administrator (Acting) are convinced that this will increase our opportunity to provide the nation with more observations of high quality than ever before, and thus, allow the NWS to issue more accurate and timely warnings and fore- National Weather Service casts. John J. Kelly, Jr., My staff and I are always at your service. Please let Assistant Administrator for Weather Services us know if we can do anything to help you. And by all means, keep those manuscripts, photographs, and other materials coming. Without you there is no Editorial Supervisor MWL! Robert A. Luke Paul F. Moersdorf, Ph.D. Directorh Editor Mary Ann Burke Some Important Web Page Addresses NOAA http://www.noaa.gov National Weather Service http://www.nws.noaa.gov Articles, photographs, and letters should be sent to: National Data Buoy Center http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov AMVER Program http://www.amver.com Mr. Robert A. Luke, Editorial Supervisor VOS Program http://www.vos.noaa.gov Mariners Weather Log SEAS Program http://seas.nos.noaa.gov/seas/ NDBC (W/Ops 52) Mariners Weather Log http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/ Bldg 1100, Room 353D mwl/mwl.htm Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-6000 Marine Dissemination http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/ marine/home.htm U.S. Coast Guard http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/ Phone: (228) 688-1457 Navigation Center marcomms/ Fax: (228) 668-3153 E-mail: [email protected] See these web pages for further links. 2 Mariners Weather Log Mariners Weather Log Table of Contents International Ice Patrol.................................................................................................................... 4 San Patrick: Lost Among the Aleutians ....................................................................................... 9 Downloading National Weather Service Charts Using Globalstar™ Satellite Communications and SeaStation 2000 ....................................................................................... 10 Departments: National Imagery and Mapping Agency ............................................................................................................ 12 Marine Weather Review Technical Terms ................................................................................................................................... 13 North Atlantic, September–December 2000 ........................................................................................ 14 North Pacific, September–December 2000 .........................................................................................31 Tropical Atlantic and Tropical East Pacific, September–December 2000 .......................................... 44 Climate Prediction Center ................................................................................................................... 62 Coastal Forecast Office News............................................................................................................................ 64 VOS Program .................................................................................................................................................... 68 VOS Cooperative Ship Reports ......................................................................................................................... 75 Meteorological Services Observations......................................................................................................................................... 86 Forecasts............................................................................................................................................... 89 April 2001 3 International Ice Patrol International Ice Patrol MST3 Rachel Kenward Lt. Chris Strong .M.S. Titanic left on her result, the precursor of the Interna- called the Safety of Life at Sea maiden voyage from the tional Ice Patrol was established. (SOLAS), but it would not go into Rport of Southampton, For the remainder of 1912, the effect until July 1, 1915. Among England, en route for New York U.S. Navy sent cruisers to serve as the many maritime issues ad- City with the fame of being the sentry on the Grand Banks of dressed in SOLAS is patrolling the unsinkable ship. On the night of Newfoundland, but the Navy vicinity of the Grand Banks and April 14, 1912, the Titanic struck couldn’t spare the ships to perform informing passing vessels of the an iceberg just south of the Grand this mission for long. Therefore, extent of iceberg danger. To deal Banks of Newfoundland and in 1913 the Revenue Cutter with this specific issue, SOLAS within two and a half-hours she Service (now the U.S. Coast mandated the creation of the sank, taking the lives of over Guard) assumed the patrol. International Ice Patrol. The 1,500 passengers and crew. This decree dictates that the U.S. devastating accident generated a The Titanic disaster spurred many Government perform the opera- public outcry demanding safe maritime nations to examine the tional duties of the International passage across the North Atlantic safety of their vessels on the open Ice Patrol with funding from the Ocean. However, this was not the ocean. The first international international signatories. With the only tragedy that had occurred in conference on the safety of vessel Titanic incident still very fresh in this region. Between 1880 and at sea was convened in London, everyone’s minds, there was some 1890, 40 vessels were seriously England, on November 12, 1913, concern that waiting until July damaged and 14 were lost due to during which the subject of 1915 would not be sufficient. ice. The need for safe passage patrolling the ice regions was Therefore, on January 31, 1914, through these ice-infested waters thoroughly discussed. On Jan- the government of Great Britain, was immediately addressed by uary 30, 1914, the delegates on behalf of the several nations many maritime nations and as a signed an international convention Continued on Page 5 4 Mariners Weather Log International Ice Patrol International Ice Patrol vessels that need to cross this this region. As a result, (mid- Continued from Page 4 treacherous region. Second, the latitude) low-pressure systems Grand Banks are home to very often move through, bringing interested, made inquiry as to productive fishing grounds, which severe weather with high winds whether the United States would makes it especially attractive to and seas. undertake the patrol at once under commercial fisherman, which only the provisions stipulated in the serves to compound the high The oceanographic structures in convention. The proposition was traffic density. Finally, the adverse this region also contribute to the favorably considered by President environmental conditions (high danger around the Grand Banks of Wilson and on February 7, 1914, winds, rough seas, and dense fog) Newfoundland. The principal he directed that the (then) Rev- makes this locale even more contributors to this are the Labra- enue Cutter Service begin the dangerous. dor Current and the bathymetry. International Ice Observation and The Labrador Current is the main Ice Patrol Service as soon as Probably the most important ocean current responsible for possible. Since then, the U.S. environmental factor to consider is transporting icebergs into this Coast Guard (Revenue Cutter the dense fog that often occurs on region. It is a relatively fast- Service) has conducted the patrol and near the Grand Banks. This moving current that stays cold each year, with the exception of a occurs when the southern flow of enough to carry icebergs all the brief period during World War II. the Labrador Current joins the way from the Labrador Sea and warm Gulf Stream waters at the Baffin Bay to southern temperate The region known as the Grand tail of the Banks. As warm winds waters. In fact, the Titanic sank at Banks of Newfoundland is of flow over the Gulf Stream and the latitude of Providence, Rhode particular interest for several then over the cold Labrador Island. The bathymetry is also reasons. First, the great circle Current, an advective fog forms responsible for the transport of route, the shortest distance be- which can last for many days. This icebergs, but it has more impact tween two ports, connecting the dense blanket of fog severely on where the icebergs flow rather U.S and Canada with Europe limits visibility and restricts a than how fast. Due to the fact that crosses right through this area vessel’s ability to maneuver. the majority of an iceberg’s mass (Figure 1). This means that there Furthermore, the upper level jet lies below the water, its track is is

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