WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION Guide to Marine Meteorological Services Third edition PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PUBLICATION IS GOING TO BE UPDATED BY END OF 2010. WMO-No. 471 Secretariat of the World Meteorological Organization - Geneva - Switzerland 2001 © 2001, World Meteorological Organization ISBN 92-63-13471-5 NOTE The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the World Meteorological Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. TABLE FOR NOTING SUPPLEMENTS RECEIVED Supplement Dated Inserted in the publication No. by date 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 CONTENTS Page FOREWORD................................................................................................................................................. ix INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................................... xi CHAPTER 1 — MARINE METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES ........................................................... 1-1 1.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Requirements for marine meteorological information....................................................................... 1-1 1.2.1 Marine operations on the high seas ................................................................................. 1-1 1.2.1.1 Wind and waves ................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2.1.2 Visibility ............................................................................................................. 1-1 1.2.1.3 Cloud and precipitation ........................................................................................ 1-2 1.2.1.4 Air and sea temperature........................................................................................ 1-2 1.2.1.5 Ocean currents..................................................................................................... 1-2 1.2.1.6 Ice accretion ...................................................................................................... 1-2 1.2.1.7 Sea ice ................................................................................................................. 1-2 1.2.1.8 Icebergs ................................................................................................................ 1-2 1.2.1.9 Special services .................................................................................................... 1-2 1.2.2 Care of cargo and passengers .............................................................................................. 1-2 1.2.3 Fishery operations ............................................................................................................ 1-2 1.2.4 Ocean research operations ................................................................................................. 1-3 1.2.5 Offshore oil-drilling and mining operations........................................................................ 1-3 1.2.5.1 General .............................................................................................................. 1-3 1.2.5.2 Waves and wind................................................................................................... 1-3 1.2.5.3 Ice accretion ...................................................................................................... 1-3 1.2.5.4 Currents and tides ................................................................................................ 1-3 1.2.5.5 Sea ice and icebergs .......................................................................................... 1-3 1.2.6 Recreational boating............................................................................................................ 1-3 1.2.6.1 Winds and waves ................................................................................................. 1-3 1.2.6.2 Thunderstorms and squalls ................................................................................. 1-4 1.2.6.3 Fog ....................................................................................................................... 1-4 1.2.7 Search and rescue................................................................................................................ 1-4 1.2.8 Dynamically-supported craft ............................................................................................. 1-4 1.2.9 Coastal community activities .............................................................................................. 1-4 1.2.9.1 General .............................................................................................................. 1-4 1.2.9.2 Storm surges ...................................................................................................... 1-4 1.2.9.3 Tsunamis.............................................................................................................. 1-4 1.2.9.4 Harbour seiches.................................................................................................... 1-4 1.2.9.5 Surf and breakers ................................................................................................. 1-4 1.2.10 Pollution of the sea.............................................................................................................. 1-5 1.2.10.1 General .............................................................................................................. 1-5 1.2.10.2 Power generators and industrial plant cooling systems........................................ 1-5 1.2.11 Requirements for long-term planning and design information ......................................... 1-5 1.3 Organization of marine meteorological services ............................................................................... 1-5 1.4 International coordinating arrangements ......................................................................................... 1-5 1.4.1 The WMO Voluntary Observing Ships' Scheme ................................................................ 1-6 1.4.2 Methods of observation of marine elements ....................................................................... 1-6 1.4.3 Preparation of synoptic weather information ...................................................................... 1-6 1.4.4 Issue of weather and sea bulletins .................................................................................... 1-6 1.4.5 Coordination of marine meteorological broadcasts............................................................. 1-6 1.4.6 International system of visual storm warning signals ...................................................... 1-6 IV GUIDE TO MARINE METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES Page 1.4.7 Services for maritime search and rescue operations............................................................ 1-6 1.4.8 Port Meteorological Officers (PMOs) .............................................................................. 1-6 1.4.9 Sea-ice information services................................................................................................ 1-7 1.4.10 Marine pollution.................................................................................................................. 1-7 1.4.11 Exchange of marine climatological observations ................................................................ 1-7 1.4.12 Training in marine meteorology.......................................................................................... 1-7 CHAPTER 2 — MARINE METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR THE HIGH SEAS . ................ 2-1 2.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1.1 The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) ............................................ 2-1 2.1.2 NAVTEX .......................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.13 Other radio communications................................................................................................. 2-1 2.1.4 Other services ...................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Weather and sea bulletins . ................................................................................................................ 2-2 2.2.1 General................................................................................................................................. 2-2 2.2.2 Areas of responsibility......................................................................................................... 2-2 2.2.3 Form and content of bulletins .............................................................................................. 2-2 2.2.4 Warnings.............................................................................................................................. 2-3 2.2.5 Selection of reports from sea and land stations .................................................................. 2-4 2.2.6 Broadcasts of weather and sea bulletins by satellite ...........................................................