What is marine forecasting?
The sea is a dangerous and unforgiving place. Mariners need the best weather information available. Forecasters prepare many products to aid both commercial and recreational maritime activities. By using winds to forecast waves and sea conditions, more economical routing of passenger and cargo vessels can save huge sums in fuel.
Avoiding areas of very rough seas is vital to safety. How high can waves get on the open ocean? One buoy in the North Atlantic reported one “swell” at 101 feet above mean water level. Rogue waves, some over 75 feet high, have long terrified mariners. In 1984, a 117-foot three-masted tall ship sunk in less than one minute north of Bermuda with a heavy loss of life after being struck by such a monster. Marine forecasters become involved in oil spill cleanup operations by assisting with predictions about the spread of the slick. Warnings of tsunamis from earthquakes and landslides have saved countless lives.
Distributing weather forecasts and encouraging people to heed their message still remains a challenge. During the March 1993 “Storm of the Century,” over 200 people perished. Many of these lives were lost needlessly. The storm was well fore casted several days in advance. One ship’s captain ignored a warning not to leave his Gulf Coast port. He paid for this imprudence with the loss of his ship, his crew of 33, and his own life.