Marine Radio - Broadcasting Gale/Storm Warnings Page 1 of 4

Marine Radio - Broadcasting Gale/Storm Warnings

Warnings are issued by the Met Office when winds of Force 6 or above are expected in UK sea areas

The warnings are referred to as:

• Strong Wind Warning - winds of F6 to F7 • Gale Warning - winds of F8 to F9 • Storm Warning - winds of F10 to F11 • Hurricane Warning - winds of F12 and above

This page describes how and when HMCG broadcast Gale Warnings and above

For information on Strong Wind Warnings (F6 - F7), see Weather Information

Contents Wind Warnings - Gale and Above First Issue

In Force Renewals Updates Definitions

Related Links Marine Radio - Broadcasting MSI Weather Information Weather - Met Office - Marine Glossary

Wind Warnings - Gale and Above

Gale, Storm or Hurricane Warnings

These warnings are valid for 24 hours, unless cancelled. Any warning still in force after the 24 hour period will be renewed

Warnings may be:

• First issue - New Gale, Gale Expected

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• In Force - unchanged within 24 hours of first issue

• Renewal - still in force after 24 hours of first issue - i.e. Continuing

• Update - i.e. Increased, Decreased, Ceased, Not Now Expected

First Issue

The first issue of a new Gale Warning must be broadcast on receipt as a Securite message, preceded by a DSC Alert, as soon as possible after receipt

If a 'First Issue' warning is received within 15 minutes of a scheduled MSI broadcast, they can be broadcast together - see below

DSC Alert and Securite Announcement

DSC Alert

The DSC Alert should be an ‘All Ships Safety Call’ and can be sent from multiple or individual aerials, depending on the warning coverage

Multiple Aerials

The response box should be set to ‘Ch16’ as this is where the information regarding the channel on which the broadcast will be made for different geographical areas is provided

Single Aerial

The response box should be set to the channel on which the broadcast will be made

Securite Announcement

The appropriate aerial for the warning coverage area is selected and the Securite announcement made on Channel 16

Example Broadcast

​SECURITE​-​SECURITE​-​SECURITE​ ALL​STATIONS​-​ALL​STATIONS​-​ALL​STATIONS

This​is

MIlford​Haven​Coastguard,​Milford​Haven​Coastguard,​Milford​Haven​ Coastguard

For​a​new​Gale​Warning​for​the​sea​areas​Lundy​and​Fastnet

Listen​VHF​CH23

This​is​MIlford​Haven​Coastguard,​Out

The announcement will tell vessels what VHF channel to listen to, which will depend on the geographical area in question

Broadcast Channel(s)

The channel used to broadcast the actual warning should be an appropriate VHF working channel or one of the standard MSI broadcasting channels 10, 23, 84 or 86 and be appropriate to the subject area

First Issue Receipt Coincides with Scheduled MSI Broadcast

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If a 'First Issue' warning is received within 15 minutes of a scheduled MSI broadcast, the two can be amalgamated. In this instance a preceding DSC safety call should be made for the warning (as above) and the Channel 16 announcement include information regarding both

Example Announcement on CH16

​SECURITE​-​SECURITE​-​SECURITE ALL​STATIONS​-​ALL​STATIONS​-​ALL​STATIONS

This​is

MIlford​Haven​Coastguard,​MIlford​Haven​Coastguard,​MIlford​Haven​Coastguard

For​a​new​Gale​Warning​for​the​sea​areas​Lundy​and​Fastnet​and​a​Maritime​ Safety​Information​broadcast​

Listen​VHF​CH23

This​is​MIlford​Haven​Coastguard​Out

MSI Broadcast Content

The weather elements of the MSI broadcast may or may not include reference to the new warning. If it doesn't, then sensible written adjustments should be made in the text to make reference where appropriate

In Force

In-force warnings are to be included as part of the routine MSI broadcast

Renewals

Renewed warnings are to be included as part of the routine MSI broadcast

Updates

The Met Office will issue a new warning if there is a significant change in the wind severity and/or direction in an existing warning area

Increased

Updates where the severity of a previously issued warning has increased or the wind direction is expected to back or veer by 45 Degrees or more should be treated as First Issue warnings and broadcast as such

Decreased

Updates where the wind force has decreased need only be included in the next MSI broadcasts

Ceased / Not Now Expected

These warnings need only be broadcast once, in the next scheduled MSI broadcast

Definitions

See the Met Office page Marine Forecasts Glossary for definitions of terms etc.

Printed from OmS at 16:36 on the 01/11/2017 Revision: 1.0 - Published: Once printed this document is not considered the latest version by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency Copyright Maritime and Coastguard Agency

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