Wind Warning Changes

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Contents

Introduction

Marine wind warnings to be issued for 'today' and 'tomorrow'.

Mariners in South Australia will be able to see when wind warnings are current for up to 48 hours ahead. The wind warnings will be part of the Coastal Waters forecasts and will indicate which days are affected and the winds, seas and swell. The forecasts will be updated every 6 hours whenever a warning is current.

Mariners will also be able to get statewide overviews of the warnings via a 'Marine Wind Warnings Summary' product. This will show all the Coastal Waters and Local Waters affected by warnings for that day and the following day.

Examples

A. Coastal Waters forecast with wind warnings for days 1 & 2

Example A - Coastal Waters forecast with wind warnings for days 1 and 2

 

B. State-wide warnings summary

Example B - State wide warnings summary

FAQ's for new wind warning service

What's new?

  • Marine wind warnings will cover the first two days - not rolling 24 hour periods.
  • A wind warning label will be added to the Coastal Waters Forecast for days one and two indicating the highest category of wind warning applicable.
  • The Coastal Waters Forecast will usually be issued every 6 hours during wind warning periods.
  • The lead time of the warning statements will increase by 24 hours – i.e. giving up to two days advance notice in some instances.
  • A Marine Wind Warning Summary will be issued during warning periods, covering all the State's coastal and local waters. It will be a quick and easy reference to see all zones affected by wind warnings for days one and two. It will alert you to check the detailed coastal waters forecasts.

 

Why change?

Feedback indicated confusion as to the period for which the warnings applied. Mariners have commented that the Coastal Wind Warning was divided into too many sub-sections, making it difficult to broadcast and understand via marine radio.

Marine radio broadcasters highlighted that:

  1. the warning information was becoming too lengthy to read out within the allocated schedules and interfered with distress monitoring duties; and,
  2. detailed information about changes in wind speed and direction during days one and two of the forecast period was available in the coastal waters forecasts resulting in duplication of information being read out during broadcasts.

 

When will the forecasts be issued?

The following table outlines the times when Coastal Waters and Local Waters forecasts will be issued.

Time of issue Products issued
5-5:15am All Coastal Waters and Local Waters zones.
10:00am Only those Coastal Waters and Local Waters zones under warning.
3:45-4pm All Coastal Waters and Local Waters zones.
10:00pm Only those Coastal Waters and Local Waters zones under warning.

 

When will the new service begin?

  • It is anticipated to start in South Australia from late October 2011. The service will be introduced in the Northern Territory, Queensland, and Western Australia as the Bureau rolls out the underlying technology (called the Next Generation Forecast and Warning System) in those states by 2014.