A Mariner’s Guide to

Marine Weather Services

Coastal, Offshore and High Seas

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Weather Service

NOAA PA 98054
 Introduction

Small Craft Usually, forecast winds of 22 to 33 knots.

Few people are affected more by weather than the mariner. An
Advisory: NWS may also issue Small Craft
unexpected change in winds, seas, or visibility can reduce the efficiency Advisories for hazardous sea conditions
of marine operations and threaten the safety of a vessel and its crew. or lower wind speeds that may affect
The National Weather Service (NWS), a part of the National Oceanic small craft operations.
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), provides marine weather
warnings and forecasts to serve all mariners who use the waters for
livelihood or recreation. This pamphlet describes marine weather services Gale Warning: Forecast winds of 34 to 47 knots.
available from the NWS and other agencies.
Storm Warning: Forecast winds of 48 or higher not
associated with a tropical cyclone

Hurricane Force Warning of a storm with forecast winds

Wind Warning: of 64 knots or higher not associated with
Warning and For
Forecast Ser
orecast vices
Services a tropical cyclone.

Tropical Storm Forecast winds of 34 to 63 knots

Warning: associated with a tropical storm.

Hurricane Forecast winds of 64 knots or higher

The warning and forecast program is the core of the NWS’s responsibility
Warning: associated with a hurricane.
to mariners. Warnings and forecasts help the mariner plan and make
decisions protecting life and property. NWS also provides information
through weather statements or outlooks that supplement basic warnings
Special Marine Potentially hazardous over-water events
and forecasts. The following are the basic marine warning products the
Warning: of short duration (up to 2 hours).
NWS offers.

These advisories and warnings are headlined in marine forecasts.

(Details are included elsewhere in this brochure.) Small Craft
Advisories may be issued up to 12 hours before the onset of
adverse conditions and warnings up to 24 hours in advance.
 Oceanic Products
Products Offshore Forecasts

Issued by NWS marine centers and certain NWS offices. Forecasts are geared to
Coastal Marine Forecasts those mariners operating farther offshore, a day or more from safe harbor. Issuance
times are similar to adjacent coastal forecasts.

Marine Centers and NWS

Issued by coastal NWS offices for mariners staying near shore at the following
times. Note: Updates issued as necessary. Ocean Prediction Center...New England and Mid-Atlantic, West Coast
Tropical Prediction Center...Tropical Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico
Honolulu Weather Forecast Office...Hawaii
EAST FL+ GULF USVI/PR WEST ALASKA HAWAII MS/GUAM
#330AM #330PM #330PM *430PM #300PM *400AM *1200PM *500PM Anchorage Weather Forecast Office...Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska
#330PM #330PM #330PM *430PM #300PM *400AM *1200AM *500PM
*930AM *930AM *930AM 1030AM 930AM *400PM 600AM *600AM
*930PM *930PM *930PM 1030PM 930PM *400PM 600 PM *600PM Content and Format (Example)
OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
* Time in local year round. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WASHINGTON DC
# Local standard time. Issuance times are one hour later in daylight savings time. OCEAN PREDICTION CENTER/OCEAN FORECAST BRANCH
+ Except Florida panhandle. 930 AM PDT THU 10 JUL 2003

Content and Format (Example) WASHINGTON AND OREGON WATERS FROM 60 NM TO 250 NM OFFSHORE.

COASTAL MARINE FORECAST PZZ080-102330-

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
1010 AM EDT THU JUL 10 2003 .SYNOPSIS...A COLD FRONT WILL WEAKEN AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE WATERS
TODAY. HIGH PRES WILL BUILD OVER THE REGION TODAY INTO FRI NIGHT. A LOW
ANZ100-102100- PRES TROUGH WILL MOVE INTO THE WATERS FRI NIGHT AND SAT. HIGH PRES WILL
SYNOPSIS FOR STONINGTON ME TO MERRIMACK RIVER MA OUT TO 25 NM- BUILD OVER THE OREGON WATERS SUN AND MON WHILE A LOW PRES TROUGH
1010 AM EDT THU JUL 10 2003 PERSISTS ACROSS THE WASHINGTON WATERS.

.SYNOPSIS...HIGH PRES WILL MOVE E OF THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND $$

TONIGHT.
PZZ081-102330-
$$
CAPE FLATTERY TO CAPE LOOKOUT
ANZ150-102100- 930 AM PDT THU 10 JUL 2003
STONINGTON ME TO MERRIMACK RIVER MA OUT TO 25 NM-
1010 AM EDT THU JUL 10 2003 .TODAY...S TO SE WINDS 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 10 FT...HIGHEST W.
WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS W.
.THIS AFTERNOON...NE WIND 10 TO 15 KTS BECOMING E AROUND 15 KTS. .TONIGHT AND FRI...S WINDS 5 TO 15 KT. SEAS SUBSIDING TO 4 TO 6
SEAS 1 TO 3 FT. FT.
.TONIGHT...E WINDS AROUND 15 KTS. SEAS 1 TO 3 FT. VSBY 1 TO .FRI NIGHT...S WINDS 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT. WIDELY
3 NM IN ANY LATE NIGHT SHOWERS. SCATTERED SHOWERS W.
.FRI...SE WINDS INCREASING TO 20 TO 25 KTS. SEAS BUILDING TO 3 TO 5 .SAT...S TO SW WINDS 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 4 TO 8 FT.
FT. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS IN SHOWERS AND AREAS OF FOG. SCATTERED TSTMS. .SUN AND MON...S TO SW WINDS 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 9 FT.
.FRI NIGHT...S WINDS AROUND 25 KTS BECOMING W. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. $$
VSBY 1 NM OR LESS IN SHOWERS AND AREAS OF FOG. SCATTERED TSTMS.
.SAT THROUGH SUN...SW WINDS 15 TO 20 KTS. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT.
.MON...SE WINDS AROUND 15 KTS. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT. CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

$$
 High Seas Warnings and F
Warnings or
Forecasts
orecasts Special Marine Warnings
Warnings

Issued by NWS marine centers and some offices. Forecasts are geared to the The NWS issues Special Marine Warnings for potentially hazardous over-water
largest ocean-going vessels. Emphasis is placed on gale force or worse conditions. events, usually of short duration (up to 2 hours), not adequately covered by
other marine warnings and forecasts. These events include thunderstorms,
Issuing Offices - Issuance Times (UTC) waterspouts, squalls, wind shifts, and other short-lived conditions. Special
Marine Warnings are issued mainly for the coastal waters.
OPC/TPC - WEST ATLANTIC - 0430 1030 1630 2230
OPC/TPC - EAST PACIFIC - 0545 1145 1745 2345
HFO - NORTH PACIFIC - 0500 1100 1700 2300 If a tornado or severe thunderstorm is expected to move over coastal waters,
HFO - SOUTH PACIFIC - 0530 1130 1730 2330 NWS issues a Special Marine Warning. If a severe thunderstorm or waterspout
TPC - TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER, Miami, FL is expected to move ashore, NWS issues separate warnings (SVR and/or TOR)
OPC - OCEAN PREDICTION CENTER, Washington, DC for land areas.
HFO - NWS FORECAST OFFICE, Honolulu, HI

Content and Format (Example) Content and Format (Example)

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
HIGH SEAS FORECAST FOR METAREA IV
SPECIAL MARINE WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WASHINGTON DC/TPC MIAMI FL
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OXNARD CA
OCEAN PREDICTION CENTER/OFB 1630 UTC MAY 08 2003
250 PM PDT WED AUG 6 1997
SUPERSEDED BY NEXT ISSUANCE IN 6 HOURS
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OXNARD HAS ISSUED A
SECURITE
NORTH ATLANTIC NORTH OF 31N TO 67N AND WEST OF 35W.
* SPECIAL MARINE WARNING FOR...
THE EAST SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL
SYNOPSIS VALID 1200 UTC MAY 08.
FROM PT CONCEPTION TO PT MUGU INCLUDING SANTA CRUZ ISLAND
24 HOUR FORECAST VALID 1200 UTC MAY 09.
48 HOUR FORECAST VALID 1200 UTC MAY 10.
* UNTIL 400 PM PDT
WARNINGS.
* AT 245 PM PDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR
INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING BETWEEN OXNARD
...GALE WARNING...
AND SANTA CRUZ ISLAND...MOVING TO THE NORTHWEST AT 20 MPH.
.AREA OF NW GALE WINDS 25 TO 35 KT SEAS 9 TO 15 FT FROM 55N TO 67N
E OF 53W.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE WIND GUSTS TO 40 KNOTS...ROUGH
.24 HOUR FORECAST LOW 60N 42W 1008 MB. FORECAST WINDS 25 TO 35 KT
SEAS AND NEAR ZERO VISIBILITY. BOATERS IN EAST SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL
SEAS 9 TO 15 FT E OF A LINE FROM 62N 51W TO 58N 49W TO 53N 38W.
SHOULD TRY TO SEEK SAFE HARBOR.
.48 HOUR FORECAST LOW 60N 38W 1008 MB. FORECAST WINDS 25 TO 35 KT
SEAS 9 TO 15 FT E OF A LINE FROM 61N 50W TO 58N 48W TO 55N 37W.

...GALE WARNING... Marine Weather Statements

.LOW 39N 71W 1008 MB MOVING E 25 KT. WINDS 25 TO 35 KT SEAS 8 TO
13 FT WITHIN 300 NM SE QUADRANT.
.24 HOUR FORECAST LOW 40N 58W 1004 MB. FORECAST WINDS 25 TO 35 KT Marine Weather Statements are used to follow up the Special Marine Warnings
SEAS 8 TO 13 FT WITHIN 480 NM SE AND 420 NM SW QUADRANTS. or to provide information on non-severe conditions such as low-water levels,
.48 HOUR FORECAST LOW 46N 57W 989 MB. FORECAST WINDS 25 TO 40 KT dense fog, high surf conditions, hazardous materials spills, trends for increasing
SEAS 10 TO 18 FT FROM 38N TO 52N BETWEEN 41W AND 63W. and/or decreasing winds, volcanic ash, or to advise for the potential development
SYNOPSIS AND FORECAST. of warning conditions.

.LOW 45N 60W 1011 MB MOVING NE 10 KT. WINDS 20 TO 30 KT SEAS TO 10

FT FROM 42N TO 48N BETWEEN 47W AND 59W. Hurricane and T
Hurricane Trropical Storm Advisories
Advisories
.24 HOUR FORECAST AREA OF E WINDS 20 TO 30 KT SEAS TO 10 FT FROM
44N TO 50N BETWEEN 48W AND 60W.
.48 HOUR FORECAST CONDITIONS ABSORBED BY FORECAST LOW 46N 57W.
 Hurricane and T
Hurricane Trropical Storm Advisories
Advisories Global Maritime Distress And
Distress
Safety System (GMDSS)

The goals of GMDSS are to provide more effective and efficient emergency and
Hurricane and Tropical Storm Advisories are issued for the Atlantic, Pacific, safety communications and disseminate Maritime Safety Information (MSI) to all
Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean regions as needed by the Tropical Prediction ships on the world’s oceans regardless of location or atmospheric conditions.
Center in Miami and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu. These MSI includes navigational warnings, meteorological warnings and forecasts, and
advisories are issued at least four times a day during the tropical cyclone season other urgent safety-related information. NWS takes part directly in the GMDSS
and extend out to 72 hours. by preparing meteorological warnings and forecasts for broadcast via NAVTEX,
HF NBDP, and SafetyNET.
For the tropical West Pacific (between 130oE and the International Dateline),
typhoon and tropical storm advisories are issued when necessary by the Joint
Typhoon Warning Center. Tropical Cyclone Advisories are issued as needed by
the NWS office in Guam.

Volunteer Marine
Hurricane W
Hurricane arnings
Warnings Observation Programs

The National Weather Service has a number of volunteer observation programs

Hurricane warnings are issued for forecast winds of 64 knots or higher associated including the SKYWARN, MAREP, MAROB, MARS, APRSWXNET/Citizen
with a hurricane. Weather Observer Program (CWOP) and the Cooperative Observer Program (COOP)
which are of benefit to the marine community. If you would like to participate or
learn more about these volunteer programs, please call your local NWS office or
visit http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/voluntary.htm.

Tropical Storm Warnings

Warnings

Tropical Storm warnings are issued for forecast winds of 34 to 63 knots associated
with a tropical storm.
 Dissemination Of Marine USCG MF VOICE USCG broadcasts offshore forecasts and marine
warnings on 2670 kHz following an initial call on
Wea ther Pr
eather oducts
Products 2182 kHz.

USCG HF Voice
Voice USCG voice broadcast of high seas warnings and
forecasts.

Marine weather products are widely disseminated via U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) USCG HF NBDP Also known as Narrow Band Direct Printing (NBDP)
is a text broadcast of high seas warnings and forecasts.
broadcasts, NOAA Weather Radio, Internet and other media. Schedules for marine
broadcasts are listed in NIMA Publication 117 and NWS Marine Weather Service
Charts. Details on the dissemination of NWS marine products may be found on
the Marine and Coastal Weather Services Home Page. NAVTEX NAVTEX is a USCG radio teletype broadcast of
marine warnings and forecasts. Typical coverage is
200 nm offshore.

NOAA Weather Radio The NWR network provides voice broadcasts of coastal
INMARSAT-C Saf
INMARSAT etyNET
SafetyNET A satellite broadcast of Maritime Safety Information
(NWR): and marine forecasts on a continuous cycle. This network that includes high seas weather.
covers nearly all of the continental United States, Hawaii,
the populated Alaskan coastline, Puerto Rico and the
Virgin Islands, and Guam and the Northern Mariana WWV and WWVH A summary of Atlantic and Pacific high seas storm
Islands. Typical coverage is 25 nm offshore. When (time tick) information.
severe weather threatens, an alarm tone is sent to
automatically turn on compatible NWR receivers in the
transmitter’s coverage area. Web Sites of Interest ♦ NOAA Home Page: http://www.noaa.gov
♦ Marine and Coastal Weather Services Home Page:
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/home.htm
NOAA T
NOAA ele
Telephone
elephone Many NWS forecast offices offer recorded marine ♦ NWS Local Office Links: http://www.wrh.
Recordings and local forecasts by telephone. The numbers are noaa.gov/wrhq/nwspage.html
usually listed in the telephone directory under “United ♦ NOS Home Page: http://www.nos.noaa.gov
States Government, Commerce Department, National ♦ USCG Home Page: http://www.uscg.mil
Weather Service.” ♦ USCG Navigation Center:
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/
(Excellent description of marine communications)
Alaska Marine NOAA broadcasts offshore forecasts, coastal waters
HF VOICE forecasts and marine warnings on 4125 kHz in Alaska. DIAL-A-BUOY
Mariners can obtain the latest coastal and offshore
weather observations through a telephone service called
USCG HF Radiofax The USCG broadcasts graphic weather maps and other Dial-A-Buoy. This service provides wind and wave
graphic images over HF radiofax. Transmitter sites measurements taken within the last hour at stations
are located at Boston (NMF), New Orleans (NMG), located in the Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and
Kodiak (NOJ), Pt. Reyes (NMC), and Honolulu Great Lakes. To access Dial-a-Buoy, dial 228/688-
(KVM-70). 1948 using a touch tone or cellular phone. Enter the
five-digit station identifier when prompted. The Dial-
a-Buoy menu tree has a selection for the caller to receive
USCG VHF VOICE USCG broadcasts coastal waters forecasts and marine a map of buoy station identifiers via return call fax.
warnings on VHF Channel 22A after an initial call on Station identifiers can also be obtained at the following
VHF Channel 16. The USCG VHF network provides web site: http://seaboard.ndbc.noaa.gov/dial.shtml.
near-continuous coverage of continental US coastline,
Hawaii, the populated Alaskan coastline, Puerto Rico
and the Virgin Islands, and Guam and the Northern
Mariana Islands. Typical coverage is 20 nm offshore.
 Marine Weather Service Charts

ine Weather
MSC charts are available for 15 segments of the continental United States, Alaska,
Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and Guam and the Northern Mariana
Islands, and the Great Lakes. These charts are regularly updated.

MSC charts contain maps of the area including locations of NWR transmitters,
USCG stations, and marine observation sites; helpful information such as locations,
times and frequencies of marine broadcasts, locations of national marine sanctuaries,
and NWS telephone numbers. MSC charts can be purchased from:

FAA Distribution Division (AVN-530)

National Aeronautical Charting Office
Greenbelt, MD 20770-1479
Telephone: 301-436-8301, 800-638-8972

MSC charts can also be found at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/pub.htm.

The NWS publishes Marine Weather Service Charts for the following segments
of the US coastline.

MSC-1 Eastport, ME to Montauk Point, NY

MSC-2 Montauk Point, NY to Manasquan, NJ
MSC-3 Manasquan, NJ to Cape Hatteras, NC
MSC-4 Cape Hatteras, NC to Savannah, GA
MSC-5 Savannah, GA to Apalachicola, FL
MSC-6 Apalachicola, FL to Morgan City, LA
MSC-7 Morgan City, LA to Brownsville, TX
MSC-8 Mexican Border to Pt. Conception, CA
MSC-9 Pt. Conception to Pt. St. George, CA
MSC-10 Pt. St. George, CA to Canadian Border
MSC-11/12 Great Lakes
MSC-13 Hawaii Waters
MSC-14 Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands
MSC-14S Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands (Spanish)*
MSC-15 Alaska Waters
MSC-16 Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands

*planned

For boating safety weather rules, see Safe Boating Weather Tips (NOAA PA 94058)
at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/brochures.shtml.