Updates for Mariners September 2014

NOAA
Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) provides the national infrastructure, science, and technical expertise to monitor, assess, and distribute tide, current, water level, and other coastal oceanographic products and services that support NOAA’s mission of environmental stewardship and environmental assessment and prediction. CO-OPS now provides a map showing the locations of stations that measure tides and currents.  Using the map you can find water levels, meteorological observations, land current observations, as well as other products. The website is: tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/map/

NOAA IOSS
The Coastal Data Information Program’s (CDIP) buoys are tracking the unusual warm water trends currently in the Eastern Pacific which, according to CDIP’s long-term sea surface temperature record, has exceeded 100 year reports. Also, CDIP continues to monitor the downgraded, 60 percent  possibility of an El Nino for this upcoming fall/winter. An upcoming El Nino will most likely bring more frequent storms, our wave measurement infrastructure provides near real-time information during storm conditions. For more news and updates, you can now follow us on Facebook: (facebook.com/BuoyData) or on our mobile application:(cdip.ucsd.edu/mobile).

National Weather Service San Diego, CA
The National Weather Service wants to remind mariners to try out the Enhanced Data Display tool available here: preview.weather.gov/edd/index.php?t=marine. In particular, try out the Marine Travel Hazard Forecast tool available on that page by clicking on the drop-down menu that says “Public/Marine Forecast” and then clicking “Marine Travel Hazard Forecast”. From there, you can plot out your course for a future boating trip and see what kind of weather hazards and seas you can expect along your trip.

Also, for the latest marine forecasts (including the latest marine forecast discussion), go to our Marine forecasts page at: wrh.noaa.gov/sgx/marine/marine_fcst.php?wfo=sgx

US Coast Guard:
The Coast Guard Cutter GEORGE COBB recovered the sunken San Diego Lighted Whistle Buoy SD on August 7 and set a temporary buoy in its place. The temporary buoy does not have a RACON or sound signal. The recovered buoy will be delivered to the Coast Guard buoy refurbishing facility in San Francisco for repairs and reset on station. The date for resetting the buoy will depend on the extent of repairs required and the cutters operational schedule.

The Coast Guard Navigation Center is the Coast Guard’s primary source of navigation information for mariners.  The website includes notice to mariners, Global Positioning System and Automatic Identification System (AIS) information.  Mariners accessing the site have an opportunity to provide feedback on the future of navigation/21st century needs. The web-site is at: navcen.uscg.gov