HOUR 5.

WEATHER INFORMATION
INTRODUCTION
 OBJECTIVE: TO GAIN AN
UNDERSTANDING OF:
1.BASIC WEATHER MAP TYPES,

2. WEATHER MAP SYMBOLS

3. PREPARE FOR WEATHER INFORMATION

BRIEFING SESSIONS.
1. BASIC WEATHER MAP TYPES

A. Analysis Maps - WHAT IS HAPPENING

NOW
B. Forecast Maps – WHAT WILL HAPPEN
C. Upper Air Maps – CONDITIONS ABOVE
THE SEA SURFACE
D. Sea State Maps – WAVE HEIGHTS
2. WEATHER MAP SYMBOLS

A. Lines
B. Letters
C. Symbols
D. Terminology
 LINES
• SHOW PATTERNS OF THE ELEMENTS
REPORTED BY ALL THE STATIONS.
• PATTERNS OF:
– TEMPERATURE
– DEW POINT
– MOISTURE
– PRESSURE
ISOTHERMS AND ISOBARS
• ISO = GREEK MEANING SAME

ADD THE VARIABLE

TEMPERATURE = ISOTHERM

PRESSURE = ISOBAR

LINES OF CONSTANT _____

 LETTERS:

H = HIGH
PRESSURE
• GENERALLY A REASON OF GOOD
WEATHER – NO PRECIPITATION
• WINDS FLOW CLOCKWISE AND
OUTWARD AROUND THE HIGH
 LETTERS

L = LOW
PRESSURE
 GENERALLY REGION OF BAD
WEATHER – RAIN/SNOW
 WIND FLOWS COUNTERCLOCKWISE
AND INWARD AROUND LOW
 SYMBOLS

• FRONTS – TEMPERATURE REGIONS

• STATION PLOT -- SHOW WEATHER
ELEMENTS AND FEATURES
 STATION PLOT
• THE WEATHER
ELEMENTS
REPORTED AT
ONE STATION
RAIN
– DRIZZLE
– FOG
– FRONTS
– CLOUDS
– WIND and more
 FRONTS
• SHOW TEMPERATURE
BOUNDARIES IN THE ATMOSPHERE
• TYPES:
– WARM
– COLD
– STATIONARY
– OCCLUDED
COLD
WARM
STATIONARY
OCCLUDED
 TERMINOLOGY
DEEPENING
FILLING
TROUGH
RIDGE
DEEPENING RAPIDLY
EXPLOSIVELY INTENSITFYING LOW (EIL)
ANTICYCLONIC
CYCLONIC
 3. PREPARE FOR
WEATHER INFORMATION
BRIEFING SESSIONS
WE WILL WORK IN TEAMS TO PREPARE
PRESENTATIONS ON THE WEATHER
INFORMATION AVAILABLE VIA THE
GMDSS SYSTEM.

WEATHER IS AVAILABLE VIA

“METAREA” FORECAST SERVICES
 ASSIGNMENT:
1.GO TO THE METAREA TABLE ON THE
INTERNET
2.DOWNLOAD ALL AVAILABLE WEATHER
DATA FOR YOUR METAREA
3.PREPARE A PRESENTATION OF
METAREA INFORMATION:
4.FOR PRESENTATION USE:
a)Text Synopses And Forecasts
b)Surface Maps
c)Upper Air Maps.
d)Significant Wave Heights
 METAREA DATA:
• http://www.wmo.ch/index-en.html
METAREA11 / HIGH_SEAS_FORECAST_JAPAN / 1200 WWJP25 RJTD 231200
WARNING AND SUMMARY 231200.
WARNING VALID 241200.
WARNING IS UPDATED EVERY 6 HOURS.STORM
WARNING.
DEVELOPING LOW 980 HPAAT 45N 151E SEA AROUND KURILS MOVING
WESTSOUTHWEST 15 KNOTS.WINDS 30 TO 50 KNOTS WITHIN 1300 MILES
OF LOW SOUTHWEST SEMICIRCLEAND 700 MILES ELSEWHERE.FORECAST
POSITION FOR 240000UTC AT 43N 154E WITH UNCERTAINTY OF 60MILES
RADIUS.FORECAST POSITION FOR 241200UTC AT 43N 162E WITH
UNCERTAINTY OF 110MILES RADIUS.ANOTHER LOW 1002 HPA AT 42N
138EMOVING SOUTH 10 KNOTS.STORM WARNING.
DEVELOPING LOW 984 HPAAT 41N 170E SEA SOUTH OF ALEUTIANS
MOVING NORTHNORTHEAST 15 KNOTS.OCCLUDED FRONT FROM 41N 170E
TO 39N 173E.WARM FRONT FROM 39N 173E TO 31N 179E.
COLD FRONT FROM 39N 173E TO 29N 169E 22N 156E.WINDS 30 TO 50
KNOTS WITHIN 800 MILES OF LOW SOUTHWEST SEMICIRCLE AND600 MILES
 Metarea Product for Metarea 11 - JAPAN
ELSEWHERE.FORECAST POSITION FOR 241200UTC AT
48N 164E WITH UNCERTAINTY OF 110MILES RADIUS.
ANOTHER LOW 984 HPA AT 46N 162EMOVING NORTH 15
KNOTS.GALE WARNING.NORTHERLY TO
NORTHWESTERLY WINDS 30 TO 40 KNOTS PREVAILING
OVERWATERS BOUNDED BY 60N 166E 60N 180E 48N
180E 51N 168E 60N 166E.
GALE WARNING.EXPECTED NORTHERLY TO
NTHWTERLY WINDS 30 TO 35 KNOTS PREVAILINGOVER
EAST CHINA SEA FOR NEXT 12 HOURS.
GALE WARNING.EASTERLY TO NORTHEASTERLY WINDS
30 TO 35 KNOTS PREVAILING OVER WATERSBOUNDED
BY 09N 109E 16N 110E 21N 111E 25N 119E 23N 124E 15N
135E 12N127E 12N 118E 09N 109E.SUMMARY.HIGH 1018
HPA AT 24N 179E EAST 15
 SUMMARY
• WEATHER ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
REQUIRES THE TRANSFER OF DETAILED
INFORMATION
• METEOROLOGISTS USE SYMBOLS AND
GRAPHS TO PROIVDE INFORMATION
• MODERN SHIPS RECEIVE INFO VIA GMDSS
SYSTEM
• http://www.wmo.ch/index-en.html