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Documentos básicos, 2. Reglamento técnico, Volumen I: Normas meteorológicas de carácter general y prácticas recomendadas
El Reglamento Técnico ha sido establecido por el Congreso Meteorológico Mundial, de acuerdo con lo dispuesto en el Artículo 8 d) del Convenio. Los objetivos del presente Reglamento son:
a) facilitar la cooperación entre los Miembros en materia de meteorología e hidrología;
b) satisfacer, de la forma más eficaz posible, necesidades específicas en los diversos campos de aplicación de la meteorología y de la hidrología operativa en el plano internacional;
c) velar adecuadamente por la uniformidad y la normalización de las prácticas y los procedimientos empleados para alcanzar ...
Basic Documents, 2. Technical Regulations, Volume I: General Meteorological Standards and Recommended Practices
The Technical Regulations are determined by the World Meteorological Congress in accordance with Article 8 (d) of the Convention.
These Regulations are designed:
(a) To facilitate cooperation in meteorology and hydrology among Members;
(b) To meet, in the most effective manner, specific needs in the various fields of application of meteorology and operational hydrology in the international sphere;
(c) To ensure adequate uniformity and standardization in the practices and procedures employed in achieving (a) and (b) above.
Documents de base, 2. Règlement technique, Volume I: Pratiques météorologiques générales normalisées et recommandées
Le Règlement technique est établi par le Congrès météorologique mondial, conformément à l’article 8 d) de la Convention. Les buts du présent règlement sont les suivants:
a) Faciliter la coopération en matière de météorologie et d’hydrologie entre les Membres;
b) Répondre le plus efficacement possible, sur le plan international, aux besoins spécifiques des différents domaines d’application de la météorologie et de l’hydrologie opérationnelle;
c) Assurer, d’une manière adéquate, l’uniformité et la normalisation des pratiques et procédures employées pour atteindre les buts a) ...
الوثائق الأساسية, 2. اللائحة الفنیة : المجلد الأول - المعايیر العامة والممارسات الموصى بها للأرصاد الجوية
المنظمة العالمية للأرصاد - المنظمة العالمية للأرصاد, 2019 (طبعة 2019; مجموعة مطبوعات المنظمة-No. 49)يحدد المؤتمر العالمي للأرصاد الجوية مكونات اللائحة الفنیة وفقاً للمادة 8 (د) من الاتفاقیة.
الغرض من ھذه اللائحة:
-أ- تیسیر التعاون فیما بین الأعضاء في مجالي الأرصاد الجوية والهیدرولوجیا؛
-ب- القیام، بأكثر الطرق فاعلیة، بتلبیة الاحتیاجات المحددة لمختلف مجالات الأرصاد الجوية
والهیدرولوجیا التشغیلیة في المجال الدولي؛
ج- ضمان التطابق والتوحید القیاسي بصورة كافیة في الممارسات والإجراءات المستخدمة في تحقیق
الأھداف الواردة في الفقرتین الفرعیتین أ وب الواردتین أعلاه.
基本文件, 2号. 技术规则: 第一卷-通用气象标准和建议规范
世界气象组织 (WMO) - 世界气象组织 (WMO), 2019《技术规则》是根据《公约》第八条第4款由世界气象大会制定的。《技术规则》的制定是为了：
(1) 促进世界气象组织各会员之间在气象学和水文学方面的合作；
(2) 最有效地满足国际气象应用和业务水文各领域内的特殊需要；
(3) 在实现上述(1)和(2)两项目标的过程中，确保他们所使用的规范和程序具有足够的一致性和标准化。
Сборник основных документов, 2. Технический регламент, Том I — Общие метеорологические стандарты и рекомендуемые практики
Правила Технического регламента определяются Всемирным метеорологическим конгрессом в соответствии со статьей 8 («d») Конвенции.
Эти правила предназначены для того, чтобы:
a) облегчить сотрудничество в области метеорологии и гидрологии между Членами ВМО;
b) наилучшим образом удовлетворять конкретные потребности в различных областях применения метеорологии и оперативной гидрологии в международном масштабе;
с) обеспечить надлежащие единообразие и стандартизацию практик и процедур, применяемых при достижении вышеуказанных целей «a» и «b».
Guide to Competency
The purpose of this Guide is to provide guidance to Members’ organizations that are developing, implementing and/or maintaining competency-based training and assessment programmes based upon the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) competency frameworks established in the Technical Regulations, Volume I (WMO-No.49).
Examples of selected Members’ best practices are included in this guidance material to facilitate transfer of knowledge and experience, and thus enable organizations to achieve compliance with the WMO requirements in the most efficient way.
This Guide will also be ...
Forecasters' Overview of the Middle East
This lesson provides an introduction to the Middle East for Navy meteorologists. It focuses on the major aspects of synoptic and mesoscale weather patterns, hazards to aviation and maritime operations, geography, oceanography, and climatology. The “Geography” Unit covers major political boundaries, cities, ports, topographical features, rivers, and seismicity. The “Oceanography” Unit includes major bathymetric features, mean sea surface temperature, vertical temperature profiles, salinity and velocity, ocean currents, and tidal ranges. The “Climatology” Unit covers the seasonal climatology of ...
The Value of Accurate Water Levels
NOAA’s Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) operates the National Water Level Observation Network (NWLON) a system of water level sensors, that form the backbone of our nation’s coastal observation infrastructure. This short video, intended for decision makers and the general public, describes the value of accurate NWLON water level data provided by CO-OPS.
Física del caos en la predicción meteorológica
AEMET, 2018Over 100 experts in weather and climate modeling, numerical and operational forecasting, and related areas have come together to write this compendium of knowledge that addresses a diversity of maters such as history and foundations of meteorology, ensemble prediction systems, probabilistic forecasting and its applications, climatic change and social aspects, cases of study of special meteorological events, etc.
OPEN.ED @PSU Open Educational Resources
Launched in 2007, the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences' OER initiative enables departments and individual faculty to provide resources free-of-charge under a Creative Commons license. As long as they adhere to the license, teachers and learners around the world are free to download, remix, translate, localize, and make these materials their own.
Met 101: Introduction to the World's Oceans
This short lesson provides an overview of the world's oceans, including information about geography, physical properties, major currents, and the effects of oceans on weather and climate. Brief information about wind waves, swell, and tides and the drivers of each of these phenomena are included along with an introduction to ocean measurements.
High-Frequency Radar: Supporting Critical Coastal Operations with Real-time Surface Current Data
Produced in collaboration between NOAA’s National Ocean Service (NOS) US Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Program Office and The COMET Program, this video explains how high-frequency radar (known as HF radar) is used to provide detailed information in real-time on coastal ocean surface currents. It describes the important role that HF radar products play in critical coastal operations such as hazardous spill response. Finally, it covers basic capabilities and strengths of HF radar as well as how to access coastal current data. Coastal decision-makers and managers across all levels of g ...
Forecasters' Overview of the Mediterranean and Europe
This module provides an introduction to the European continent and the Mediterranean and Black Sea areas for weather forecasters. It focuses on geography, climatology, oceanography, major aspects of the synoptic and mesoscale weather patterns, and hazards to aviation and maritime operations. Geography covers major political boundaries, cities, ports, topographical features, rivers, and volcanic areas. Climatology covers the seasonal climatology of jet stream, synoptic weather systems, extratropical cyclones, and high winds and seas. Oceanography includes major bathymetric features; mean sea su ...
TsunamiReady: Guidelines for Mitigation, Preparedness, and Response
The TsunamiReady® program began in 2001 to promote tsunami hazard preparedness and improve public safety before, during, and after tsunami emergencies. In 2015, the National Weather Service updated the TsunamiReady Guidelines based directly on emergency management principles and with input from the social sciences. This training provides an overview of the 2015 guidelines, which are focused on mitigation, preparedness, and response. The training will equip community officials and others interested in becoming TsunamiReady with strategies for streamlining their implementation of the guidelines. ...
Sea Level Change: Datums and Terminology
This lesson addresses how sea level is determined and applied. It starts with a general discussion of the surfaces that form the basis of measurement, called datums, then looks more closely at the vertical datums that form the basis of height measurements. We cover tidal datums in more depth, including the different datums, their extent, period of record (called a tidal epoch), and common applications. We conclude with a look at some data resources for tidal datums and sea level trends.
Sea Level Change: Basics
This lesson describes the physical processes, both natural and human-induced, that lead to changes in sea level. The processes described include climate induced changes in ocean heat content and volume, natural oceanic cycles, and both natural and human-induced changes in coastal land elevation. The learning is enhanced with rich graphics and periodic questions.
Ocean Acidification
The chemistry of the world’s oceans is changing. Ocean acidity is creeping upward, a result of rising atmospheric carbon dioxide. The added carbon dioxide depletes seawater of carbonate, a chemical constituent of minerals that form the shells and structures of animals including corals, molluscs, plankton, and others. The accelerating impacts are expected to reverberate through the marine food web. Most people are unaware of ocean acidification and its expected impacts. This lesson will educate policy makers and university students about its causes and consequences. The lesson explains the chem ...
Understanding Marine Customers, 2nd Edition
Understanding Marine Customers, 2nd edition, introduces the different marine forecast customers and discusses what forecast information they need to know and why they need to know it. A better understanding of the needs of the marine forecast customer will lead to better daily forecasts. The 2nd edition expands upon marine customer base to include more nearshore users, such as beachgoers, surfers, and sea kayakers.
Operational Models Encyclopedia
The availability of numerical guidance from NWP models has been an important component of operational forecasting for decades. For many, the output from this numerical guidance was produced by a mysterious “black box”. Rules for using and adjusting the guidance for operational forecasters were often subjective “Rules of Thumb” based on experience rather than based on quantitative analysis. To open up this “black box”, we produced this web-based “Operational Models Encyclopedia” linking both generic information on how NWP models work, and specifics on physical parameterizations, dynamics, and d ...
Forecasting Tropical Cyclone Storm Surge
This lesson introduces forecasters to the various probabilistic guidance products used by the National Hurricane Center to forecast storm surge. It provides an overview of how these probabilistic surge products are created, their purposes, and why they are preferred to deterministic-only style guidance for specific events. The lesson also provides practice in correctly interpreting probabilistic storm surge guidance at various phases of an event. Basic familiarity with probabilistic forecast guidance is required. This online lesson is part of the Tropical Cyclone Storm Surge: Forecasting and C ...
Using Scatterometer Wind and Altimeter Wave Estimates in Marine Forecasting
Scatterometers and altimeters provide a variety of space-based observations that are useful for marine analysis and forecasting as well as other applications. Key among the products are ocean surface winds from scatterometers and significant wave heights from altimeters. This lesson describes the basics of scatterometers and altimeters, including how they work, what they measure, and how scatterometer winds and altimeter significant wave heights are derived. It then discusses some of the challenges in using the estimates, such as dealing with ambiguities and rain contamination. The lesson also ...
Storm Surge and Datums
This lesson introduces forecasters to the orthometric and tidal datums used to describe tropical cyclone storm surge measurements and forecasts. It provides a general overview of how to interpret storm surge forecasts using various vertical datums. This online lesson is part of the Tropical Cyclone Storm Surge: Forecasting and Communication course.
Marine Weather Services Incident Response and Decision Support
Marine Weather Services Incident Response and Decision Support provides guidance for forecasters tasked with supporting oil or chemical spills and other marine-focused incidents. The lesson follows an example spill event to help demonstrate marine forecasters' responsibilities for coordinating with emergency managers, other NOAA line offices, and governmental agencies and outlines best practices related to effective communication.
Principles of Celestial Navigation
This lesson provides a basic introduction to celestial navigation for navigators, sailors, and others interested in the topic. It begins with the relationship between celestial coordinates and Earth coordinates and examines key celestial navigation parameters—geographic position, sextant altitude, observed altitude, azimuth, and computed altitude—that can be used to identify to a ship's position. A U.S. Navy navigator demonstrates the main celestial sights performed over the course of a day, including the morning three-star fix, morning Sun line, Local Apparent Noon Sun line, afternoon Sun lin ...
Extreme High Swell Events on the Moroccan Atlantic Coast
High swell events can develop far from the coast under cyclonic conditions, and take several days to travel to land. If early warnings are not issued, they can take an area by surprise and have a devastating impact. This lesson aims to improve the ability of marine forecasters to forecast extreme marine events related to high swells. It does so by providing background information on winds and waves, and presenting a process for monitoring and forecasting high swell events using a variety of data. These include ASCAT scatterometer wind data and the ECMWF Extreme Forecast Index (EFI) product, wh ...
Introduction to Tropical Cyclone Storm Surge
This lesson introduces forecasters to the physical processes and impacts of tropical cyclone storm surge. It provides an overview of the factors that affect storm surge, how it is measured, and the limitations associated with storm surge data. This online lesson is part of the Tropical Cyclone Storm Surge: Forecasting and Communication course.
Using ASCAT Wind and Other Data in Marine Forecasting
This case study lesson demonstrates the use of scatterometer wind and, to a lesser extent, altimeter significant wave height products in marine forecasting. A brief introduction to cold fronts and their impact on weather and sea state conditions sets the stage for the main part of the lesson, the case study. The case follows the passage of a cold front over the South Atlantic Ocean on 23 and 24 November 2013 when the Polarstern research vessel was transiting the area. Learners use ASCAT wind and Jason significant wave height data to help determine current conditions and evaluate GFS and WAVEWA ...
Ship-based Sea and Lake Ice Observing
Ships operating in areas with ice are expected to report conditions as part of standard weather reporting procedures. This lesson is aimed at those tasked with this responsibility, be they official or informal observers. The lesson begins with background information on ice, addressing such topics as where it is found, how it develops, and how to observe and report it. This sets the stage for the lesson’s scenarios, which simulate the experience of being an ice observer in four situations: on the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy operating in the Arctic Ocean, on a container ship transiting the Nor ...
Weather Observing Fundamentals
"Weather Observing Fundamentals" provides guidance for U.S. Navy Aerographer's Mates, Quartermasters, and civilian observers tasked with taking and reporting routine, special, and synoptic observations. Although the focus of this lesson is on shipboard observations, much of the content applies to land-based observing and reporting as well. The lesson details standard procedures for taking accurate weather observations and for encoding those observations on COMNAVMETOCCOM Report 3141/3. Exercises throughout the lesson and four weather identification drills at the end provide learners with oppor ...
Forecasters' Overview of the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea
This module provides an introduction to the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea for weather forecasters. It focuses on major aspects of the geography, oceanography, and climatology. Geography covers major political boundaries, cities, ports, topographical features, rivers, and volcanic areas. Oceanography includes major bathymetric features, mean sea surface temperature and surface salinity, ocean currents, and tidal ranges. Climatology covers the seasonal climatology of jet streams and synoptic weather systems, extratropical cyclones in the Gulf of Mexico, and monthly and seasonal statistics of ...
Climatology for the Operational Forecaster
Climate information can be used as guidance for a range of weather-dependent operations. This module summarizes the Climate Analysis Process, a series of steps for determining which climatological products and data will be most useful for a specified application. The Climate Analysis Process is followed in the context of preparing a climatological brief for a ship deployment across multiple ocean basins. Though the focus is on Department of Defense data sources, including the Advanced Climate Analysis and Forecasting (ACAF) system, information on other sources is also provided. Products from t ...
Regional Study Guide: Review for Aeronautical Forecasters in Africa, selections from Introduction to Tropical Meteorology, 2nd edition
This Regional Study Guide highlights the sections of the Introduction to Tropical Meteorology, 2nd Edition online textbook that are applicable to aeronautical forecasting operations in Africa. Topics include remote sensing, global circulations, tropical variability, tropical cyclones and the challenges encountered when forecasting tropical weather. The guide consists of a list of links to the content in the textbook and has its own stand-alone quiz.
Microwave Remote Sensing: Overview, 2nd Edition
This module presents an overview of space-based microwave remote sensing for environmental applications with a focus on meteorological applications. It delivers basic information on polar-orbiting satellite characteristics, current microwave instruments, and the products they provide. Special attention is given to the newer capabilities of the U.S.’s Suomi NPP (National Polar-orbiting Partnership) and future JPSS (Joint Polar Satellite System) satellites with additional information included for those missions being operated by international partners. This module also serves as an introduction ...
Tsunami Strike! Caribbean Edition
Tsunami Strike! Caribbean Edition offers an interactive learning experience in which learners take on the role of a journalist writing an article for a news magazine. Sixteen multimedia lessons on tsunami science, safety, and history are interwoven within the learning scenario as resources for the article. The material is aimed at middle school and high school students (ages 13-17) but will be useful to a broader audience wishing to learn more about tsunamis in general, and in particular about tsunami risks in the Caribbean.
Arctic Meteorology and Oceanography
Diminishing sea ice has opened the Arctic to navigation and operations like never before. Forecasters are increasingly predicting weather in support of those operations. This module is intended to provide forecasters with a brief introduction to the Arctic, including its geography, climatology, and the forecast problems they are likely to encounter. The module follows a U.S. Coast Guard Cutter on a voyage from Dutch Harbor, in the Aleutian Islands, to Barrow, on the north coast of Alaska. Various topics are addressed along the way in a series of short, stand-alone lessons.
Tsunami Strike! Pacific Edition
Tsunami Strike! Pacific Edition is a scenario-based learning experience for kids from middle school through high school (approximate ages 13-17). The scenario tells the story of four main characters at different locations in the Pacific basin who are each impacted by a major tsunami that originates in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands. Over the course of the story, learners not only view the unfolding events and how each of the characters responds, but also observe how warning scientists analyze and communicate the tsunami threat. Fourteen short lessons provide interactive instruction focused on the s ...
Sea Ice and Products and Services of the National Ice Center
This two-hour module examines sea ice, icebergs, and the products and services of the National Ice Center and the North American Ice Service. Topics include climatology and current trends in sea ice extent and thickness; the development, classification, and drift of sea ice and icebergs; fractures, leads and polynyas; and the satellite detection of sea ice using visible, infrared, and microwave sensors.
Community Tsunami Preparedness, 2nd Edition
This lesson is designed to help emergency managers prepare their communities for tsunamis. Topics include basic tsunami science, hazards produced by tsunamis, the tsunami warning system, the importance of public education activities, and how to craft good emergency messages and develop tsunami response plans. The lesson also contains links to extensive Reference and Resources sections.
Volcanic Ash: Impacts to Aviation, Climate, Maritime Operations, and Society
This module is the third in the four-part Volcanic Ash series. It provides information on the impacts of an explosive volcanic eruption to aviation, climate, maritime operations and society. The threats, or impacts, from an eruption vary depending on the eruption style, duration and proximity--both in distance and altitude--to the volcano. As you learned earlier, an eruption may bring multiple hazards to urban and rural areas through: Lahars (mudflows) and floods Lava-flow inundation Pyroclastic flows and surge Volcanic ash and bomb fallout Volcanic gases In this module, we'll take a closer lo ...
Volcanic Ash: Introduction
Provides a concise introduction to volcanic ash through the examples of the Mt. Pinatubo and Eyjafjallajökull eruptions. This is the introduction to a four-part series on Volcanic Ash.
Introduction to Tropical Meteorology, 2nd Edition, Chapter 3: Global Circulation
The chapter begins with a review of the general principles of atmospheric motion including scale analysis of tropical motions. An overview of the general circulation of the atmosphere and ocean is presented including stratospheric general circulation. Special emphasis is given to the Hadley circulation including its maintenance, seasonal migration, northern and southern hemispheric differences, and the contrast between tropical and midlatitude wind systems. Tropical circulations are examined in a theoretical framework as responses to heating at the equator. Regional monsoons, their conceptual ...
Tsunamis
This lesson introduces the science of tsunamis: their causes, initiation process, properties, propagation, inundation, and long-term effects. Through numerous animations, historical images, video, and interactive exercises, learners discover the ways tsunamis interact with and affect the world. The lesson is intended for Weather Forecast Office staff — particularly National Weather Service Warning Coordination Meteorologists — who desire a better understanding of tsunamis in their role as issuers of tsunami warning-related messages. But it will also benefit anyone wanting to learn more about h ...
Tsunami Warning Systems
Tsunami Warning Systems describes the processes involved in anticipating, detecting, and warning for a tsunami by summarizing data collection, modeling, analysis, and alert procedures used at NOAA's Tsunami Warning Centers. A simulated event and past tsunami occurrences are used to highlight warning system processes for determining the tsunami threat based on seismic and sea level data and tsunami forecast models. Message communication and local response are also addressed as final components of any warning system. The module is intended for Weather Forecast Office staff and emergency managers ...
Introduction to Tropical Meteorology, 2nd Edition, Chapter 4: Tropical Variability
This chapter presents an overview of the major cycles dominating intraseasonal and interannual variability in the tropics. Characteristic atmospheric and oceanic patterns for each oscillation are presented and methods for tracking the evolution of these cycles are described. Observations and conceptual models of equatorial waves are presented. Classical solutions for equatorial waves are outlined and the effects of moisture on the expression of these waves are discussed. Since the tropics are not an isolated region of the globe, the impacts of these cycles on higher latitudes are also explored ...
Introduction to Ocean Acoustics
This module explores ocean acoustics, focusing on the propagation and detection of sound in the marine environment. Sound propagation strongly depends on refraction caused by variations in sound speed, and reflection off the seafloor and sea surface. Detection of sound subsequently depends on its propagation path, background noise from human and natural sources, and the sensors used for detection.
Introduction to Hydrography
This module describes hydrography pertaining to nautical charting and navigation. It covers how nautical charts are created, who creates them, the products available, and how to find and use them.
A Forecaster's Overview of the Northwest Pacific
This module provides an introduction to the northwest Pacific for weather forecasters. It touches on major aspects of the geography, oceanography, and climatology. Geography looks at plate tectonics, topography, and human population. Oceanography examines ocean currents, coastal tidal ranges, and sea ice distribution. Climatology briefly discusses jets streams, distribution of synoptic features, storm tracks of tropical and extratropical cyclones, the fronts, and sensible weather associated with the Northeast and Southwest Monsoons.
Mesoscale Ocean Circulation Models
This module examines mesoscale ocean circulation models and features and processes that they predict. These models simulate temperature, salinity, currents, and elevation in 3 dimensions through a period of time. They have sufficient resolution to simulate features like fronts, eddies, upwelling, and internal tides. In this module, we examine current operational models, limitations to model forecasts, examples of predicted ocean features, and potential applications.
Jason-2: Using Satellite Altimetry to Monitor the Ocean
Altimeters onboard satellites such as Jason-2 measure sea surface height and other characteristics of the ocean surface. These characteristics are linked to underlying processes and structures, making altimetry data useful for understanding the full depth of the global ocean. This 75-minute module explores major discoveries made possible by altimetry data in oceanography, marine meteorology, the marine geosciences, climate studies, the cryosphere, and hydrology. For example, altimeters have played a vital role in detecting and monitoring sea level rise and its relation to climate change. The m ...
Nearshore Wave Modeling
Ocean waves near shore impact public safety, commerce, navigation, and, of course recreation. Predicting these waves has driven efforts to model them for more than two decades. This module introduces forecasters to different nearshore wave models, including phase-resolving and 1- and 2-dimensional spectral models. It describes the processes that wave models simulate, the assumptions they make, the initial and boundary conditions required to run the models, and potential sources of error in model forecasts. While focusing on SWAN, the module also examines the Navy Standard surf Model and Bouss- ...
Topics in Tropical Meteorology
This module brings together six short lessons about significant atmospheric and oceanic influences on tropical cyclone development in the Atlantic Ocean. Topics treated include the African Easterly Jet, the Loop Current, the Meridional Overturning Circulation, ocean heat content, the Saharan Air Layer, and the Tropical Upper Tropospheric Trough, or TUTT.
Analyzing Ocean Swell
This module describes the main elements to consider when analyzing wave model and buoy data. The module focuses on data products available from NOAA including spectral plots, maps, and text bulletins. East and West Coast wave-masking exercises conclude the module. The content in this module is an excerpt from the previously published COMET module Rip Currents: Forecasting.
Operational Use of Wave Watch III
In this webcast, Dr. Hendrik Tolman (NOAA Marine Analysis Branch) discusses the operational use of NOAA WAVEWATCH III. The NOAA WAVEWATCH III is a forecast system that predicts wind-generated ocean waves. Dr. Tolman discusses what WAVEWATCH III can and cannot predict along with the model physics, numerics, and forecast products. Numerous examples illustrate the practical effects of several recent model improvements including high-resolution hurricane winds, surf zone physics, wave partitioning, and use of a multi-grid mosaic. The webcast concludes with a discussion of future improvements plann ...
North Wall Effects on Winds and Waves
North Wall events refer to high wind and wave events that occur along the north edge of warm, fast, western boundary currents. These events occur along the Gulf Stream off the mid-Atlantic states of the U.S. and along the Kuroshio Current near Japan and Taiwan. This module explores the relationships between atmospheric stability, winds, waves, and ocean currents during North Wall events. Using three different case studies, we examine the relevant aspects of several topics, including the synoptic setting, ocean currents, evolution of the marine boundary layer, growth of ocean waves, and potenti ...
Introduction to Ocean Currents
This module discusses the origin of ocean currents in both the open ocean and in coastal areas. The module focuses on the driving mechanisms for currents, along with influences that modify existing currents. Driving mechanisms include wind, horizontal density differences, and tides, while modifying effects include friction, bathymetry, and the Ekman spiral. The module concludes with a demonstration of data products and a brief overview of forecast considerations.
Introduction to Ocean Models
Oceans cover over 70% of the surface of the earth, yet many details of their workings are not fully understood. To better understand and forecast the state of the ocean, we rely on numerical ocean models. Ocean models combine observations and physics to predict the ocean temperature, salinity, and currents at any time and any place across the ocean basins. This module will discuss what goes into numerical ocean models, including model physics, coordinate systems, parameterization, initialization, and boundary conditions.
Wave Ensembles in the Marine Forecast Process
The NCEP Marine Modeling and Analysis Branch (MMAB) Ensemble Global Ocean Wave Forecast System (EGOWaFS) provides five-day forecasts of global winds, wind wave and swell conditions in probabilistic terms. This product became available early in 2007 both through an NCEP non-operational web page and, for raw data, through FTP for use by marine forecasters at NWS WFOs and other locations. The data from the EGOWaFS can be used in a number of ways, including:* As input to probabilistic marine forecasts for wind waves and swell* As input to a local wave ensemble, such as Simulated Waves Nearshore (S ...
Introduction to Ocean Tides
Ocean tides profoundly impact coastal maritime operations. This module provides an introduction to the origin, characteristics, and prediction of tides. After introducing common terminology, the module examines the mechanisms that cause and modify tides, including both astronomical and meteorological effects. A discussion of tide prediction techniques and products concludes the module. This module includes rich graphics, audio narration, embedded interactions, and a companion print version.
Rip Currents: Forecasting
This is the third and final part in a training series on rip currents. The topic of forecasting daily rip current risk can be explored by operational forecasters, many of whom do not have a physical oceanography background. The hazards of rip currents and a review of the factors that contribute to rip current development are discussed. To demonstrate the process of a rip current forecast and as an example of what can locally be developed at the user’s station, the module presents a rip current worksheet that is used operationally at some forecast offices. Various parts of this worksheet requir ...
Winds in the Marine Boundary Layer: A Forecaster's Guide
This module is intended for experienced forecasters moving from a land-based area to a coastal or Great Lakes region where both over-land and over-water forecast areas exist. This module highlights the differences between marine boundary layer and terrestrial boundary layer winds. The experienced forecaster is relatively familiar with the boundary layer over land and the associated implications for the wind field. Using this as a base, the module compares this known quantity with the lesser-known processes that occur in the marine boundary layer. Three major topics that influence marine bounda ...
Wave Life Cycle II: Propagation & Dispersion
The goal of the lesson is to enable a marine forecaster to manually predict how the wave height and period will change as the waves leave their generation area, become swell, and then propagate and disperse into the forecaster’s offshore coastal waters. While numerical wave prediction models can provide swell height and period forecasts, they are dependent on accurate wind forecasts by atmospheric prediction models. Therefore, manual skills in determining swell height and period are needed in order to cross-check or correct model predictions in cases of poor or unresolved model forecasts of wi ...
Shallow Water Waves
This is the fourth lesson in our series on open water waves. As deep-water waves approach the coastline, they encounter shallower water and begin to interact with the sea floor while evolving into shallow water waves. This lesson uses an interactive wave calculator to look at a variety of shallow-water wave behaviors, including shoaling, refraction, reflection, breaking, attenuation, and coastal run-up and set-up. All are important considerations when forecasting for small craft and other recreational interests in the near-shore environment.
Dynamically Forced Fog
Fog frequently forms in response to dynamically forced changes in the boundary layer. This module examines dynamically forced fog in the coastal and marine environment, focusing on advection fog, steam fog, and west coast type fog. The focus of the module is on the boundary layer evolution of air parcels as they traverse trajectories over land and water. The module also examines mesoscale effects that impact the distribution of fog and low-level stratus over short distances. A general discussion of forecast products and methodologies concludes the module.
Advances in Microwave Remote Sensing: Ocean Wind Speed and Direction
This Webcast covers the ocean surface wind retrieval process, the basics of microwave polarization as it relates to wind retrievals, and several operational examples. Information on the development of microwave sensors used to retrieve ocean surface wind speed and the ocean surface wind vector (speed and direction) is also included.
Wave Life Cycle I: Generation
This is the second in a series of training lessons on marine wind and waves. The first lesson discussed wave types and characteristics and is a good primer to this next marine training topic. Wave Life Cycle I: Generation examines how wind creates waves and the inter-relationships between wind speed, wind duration, and fetch length during this process. These three factors are important to predicting wave height and what will limit wave growth. Additional topics include fully developed seas, observation sources, and various special wind events such as coastal jets and instability mixing in the ...
Polar Satellite Products for the Operational Forecaster: Microwave Analysis of Tropical Cyclones
This module introduces forecasters to the use of microwave image products for observing and analyzing tropical cyclones. Microwave data from polar-orbiting satellites is crucial to today’s operational forecasters, and particularly for those with maritime forecasting responsibilities where in situ observations are sparse. This module includes information on storm structure and techniques for improved storm positioning using the 37 and 85-91 GHz channels from several satellite sensors. Information on current sensors and on the product availability in the NPOESS era is also presented.
Rip Currents: NWS Mission and Partnerships
This module discusses the basics of rip current formation and detection as well as the partnerships between the National Weather Service, National Sea Grant College Program, and the United States Lifesaving Association as they relate to rip current safety. This is one of three modules on forecasting rip currents.
Rip Currents: Nearshore Fundamentals
This module provides insight into how nearshore circulation and wave dynamics are involved in rip current formation. Topics covered in this module include: nearshore terminology, circulation and waves, rip current characteristics, and rip current forcing mechanisms. This module is the second of three modules covering the forecasting of rip currents.
Remote Sensing of Ocean Wind Speed and Direction: An Introduction to Scatterometry
This Webcast features Dr. Michael Freilich (Oregon State University, principal investigator on the QuikSCAT project for NSF) introducing and discussing the fundamentals of scatterometry and how they apply to the SeaWinds instrument on QuikSCAT. Dr. Freilich also describes how the model function is used to derive wind speed and direction from multiple collocated measurements.
Low-Level Coastal Jets
Low-level coastal jets occur along many coastlines. Winds may exceed 35 knots and lead to high waves and significant low-level vertical wind shear. Thus, low-level coastal jets present a hazard to both marine and aviation operations in the coastal zone. This core module describes the features of coastal jets and explores the conditions under which they form. Like other foundation modules in the Mesoscale Primer, this module starts with a forecast scenario and concludes with a concise summary and a final exam. By the end of this module, you should have sufficient background to diagnose and fore ...
Wave Types and Characteristics
This is the first in a series of new marine meteorology modules based on COMET’s old laser disk and CD-ROM modules on marine meteorology. This module is an introduction to waves and their associated characteristics. Several types of waves are presented, from the common wind wave to the rare tsunami wave. The basic physical, mathematical, and statistical traits of waves are discussed, along with how they change once waves become swell. This material serves as a building block to subsequent modules on wave generation, propagation, and dispersion.
Coastally Trapped Wind Reversals
This module starts with a forecast scenario that occurs along the California coast. The module then proceeds to describe the structure and climatology of these disturbances, as well as their synoptic and mesoscale evolution. The instruction concludes with a section on forecasting coastally trapped wind reversals. The module also includes a concise summary for quick reference and a final exam to test your knowledge. Like other modules in the Mesoscale Meteorology Primer, this module comes with audio narration, rich graphics, and a companion print version.
Thermally-forced Circulation I: Sea Breezes
This module describes the phenomena of the sea breeze. It examines factors that lead to the formation of a sea breeze, modifying effects on sea breeze development, how mesoscale NWP models handle sea breezes, and sea breeze forecast parameters. The module places instruction in the context of a sea breeze case from Florida and compares surface and satellite observations to a model simulation using the AFWA MM5. Like other modules in the Mesoscale Meteorology Primer, this module comes with audio narration, rich graphics, and a companion print version.
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