CHAPTER 5

WEATHER FORECASTING

A prediction of weather conditions

expected at a place, within an area,

or along a route for a specified time

or during a specified period

Weather Forecast

The civilian weather agency is the

National Weather Service.

An agency of the National Oceanic

and Atmospheric Administration

responsible for meteorological

observations, weather forecasts,

storm, and flood warnings, etc.

National Weather Service

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA) is part of the

Department of Commerce.

A division of the Department of

Commerce, created in 1970, that

conducts research on the world’s

oceans and atmosphere

National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration

The National Weather Service is

composed of a headquarters at Camp

Springs, Maryland, six national support

centers, and six regional headquarters.

The six regional headquarters support

field activities throughout the United

States, Puerto Rico, and on some of the

islands of the Pacific Ocean.

Clovis 13

North Clovis, NM

The National Weather Service also

receives weather data from some

12,000 substations, most of which

are manned by volunteers.

Chief among the six national support

centers is the National Centers for

Environmental Prediction.

The National Centers for Environmental

Prediction are a group of nine specialized

centers that focus on one aspect of the

overall national warning and forecasting

process. They include:

• Aviation Weather Center, Kansas City, MO

• Climate Prediction Center at the NWS

headquarters, Camp Springs, MD

• Space Environment Center, Boulder, CO

• Storm Prediction Center, Norman, OK

• Tropical Prediction Center (also known as

the National Hurricane Center), Miami, FL

The National Weather

Service:

• Employs several

thousand people

• Operates 400 weather

facilities in the U.S.

• Operates 13 weather

facilities overseas

• Has weather facilities

on 21 shipsNational Weather

Service

Tallahassee, FL

• 12,000 synoptic reports and 25,000

hourly reports from surface

observation stations

• 1,400 reports from ships

• 1,500 atmospheric soundings

• 2,500 reports from aircraft

• Cloud and temperature data from

weather satellites

Each day, the National

Weather Service processes:

Pertaining to or constituting a

synopsis; affording or taking a

general view of the principal

parts of a subject

Synoptic

The National Weather Service provides

weather information to newspapers,

radio and television stations, and other

media for the general public.

The National Weather Service makes studies of

climate and conducts basic and applied research

to improve future forecasts and services, and to

advance the science of meteorology itself.

Much of the National Weather Service's

day-to-day activity is geared to the service of

aviation. Several High Altitude Forecast

Centers have been set up to forecast high-

altitude conditions for commercial airlines.

The National Weather Service, as part of

NOAA, is within what U.S. department?

a. Commerce

b. Interior

c. State

d. Treasury

The National Weather Service, as part of

NOAA, is within what U.S. department?

a. Commerce

b. Interior

c. State

d. Treasury

The National Hurricane Center in Miami

is also known as the ________ ________

Center.

a. Aviation Weather

b. Kennedy Space

c. Storm Prediction

d. Tropical Prediction

The National Hurricane Center in Miami

is also known as the ________ ________

Center.

a. Aviation Weather

b. Kennedy Space

c. Storm Prediction

d. Tropical Prediction

Each of the services maintains its own

weather agency. The Navy Weather

Service is part of the Navy Meteorology

and Oceanography Command.

U.S. Navy command whose mission is to

collect, interpret and apply global

meteorological and oceanographic data

and information for safety at sea, strategic

and tactical warfare and weapons

system design, development and

deployment

Navy Meteorology andOceanography Command

The U.S. Navy is an active participant in

the World Meteorological Organization.

Coordinates weather data collection

and analysis by more than 178 member

nations and territories; based in

Geneva, Switzerland

World Meteorological Organization

Navy weather units are maintained:

• With all major aviation units

• With certain major combatant and

auxiliary vessels, and flagships

• At most naval shore activities

Trained enlisted aerographer's mates

and meteorological officers are

assigned to weather units.

On ships that do

not carry

aerographers and

meteorologists,

weather

observations

and reporting are

carried out by the

ship's navigator,

assisted by

trained

quartermasters.

The Naval Meteorology and Oceanography

Centers (NMOCs) use basic information

acquired from various sources, compile

it into weather broadcasts and warnings,

and transmit it to operating forces within

their area of responsibility.

The NMOCs are located at:

• Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

• San Diego, California

• Norfolk, Virginia

• Yokosuka, Japan

• Rota, Spain

• Bahrain in the Persian Gulf

The Fleet Numerical

Meteorology and

Oceanography Center

is located in Monterey,

California.

What organization serves as the weather

agency for the U.S. Navy?

a. Naval Meteorology Bureau

b. Naval Weather Command

c. Navy Meteorology and

Oceanography Command

d. Navy Weather Service

What organization serves as the weather

agency for the U.S. Navy?

a. Naval Meteorology Bureau

b. Naval Weather Command

c. Navy Meteorology and

Oceanography Command

d. Navy Weather Service

How many Naval Meteorological and

Oceanographic Centers are there?

a. Three

b. Four

c. Five

d. Six

How many Naval Meteorological and

Oceanographic Centers are there?

a. Three

b. Four

c. Five

d. Six

The National Weather Service publishes

many kinds of weather forecasts:

• 24-hour detailed forecasts

• 5-day forecasts

The National Weather Service publishes

many kinds of weather forecasts:

• 30-day general outlooks

The National Weather Service publishes

many kinds of weather forecasts:

• 12-hour aviation forecasts

• Special bulletins, weather maps, and

storm and frost warnings

Newspapers, TV, and radio weather

reports rely on many of the National

Weather Service forecasts.

Complete weather reports are given

to pilots. They also receive in-flight

updates of weather information.

There are two kinds of weather

reporting, local and long-range

forecasting.

The long-range study is more concerned

with an overall view of the climate and

with predictions a year or more in the

future. Almanacs provide long-range

weather predictions.

A publication containing astronomical

or meteorological information

Almanac

Local weather is predicted up to a month

or so in advance. The accuracy of these

predictions is dependent upon timely

readings taken at many reporting

stations. It is not an exact science.

Weather Reporting Stations, Weather

Ships, Balloons, and Weather Satellites

Elements of the Navy Meteorology and

Oceanography Command prepare

several types of forecasts:

• Area

• Local

• Route

• Flight

• Terminal

• Storm Warnings

• Special Warnings

Major units afloat and ashore prepare

area forecasts. They provide:

• Synopsis of weather conditions

• Report of all pressure systems and

associated weather, including position,

intensity, direction of movement

Ships and stations plan and use local

forecasts.

They provide:

• Brief summary of synoptic pressure

situation, fronts, severe weather, fog

• Normally 36-hour predictions

• Specific details affecting operations

such as flying conditions, ceilings

The route forecast refers to weather

conditions along a specific route.

The flight forecast pertains to the

weather conditions on successive

stages of a flight.

The terminal forecast concerns itself

with the landing and takeoff conditions

at fields en route.

Storm warnings are included in

scheduled broadcasts to both the fleet

and merchant marine. Thunderstorms,

tornadoes, local windstorms, and major

cyclonic storms are reported.

Special warnings are issued for

hurricanes.

What commercial publications provide

long-range weather predictions for the

year ahead?

a. Almanacs

b. Annual Weather Bulletins

c. National Weather Prediction

Bulletins

d. Newspapers

What commercial publications provide

long-range weather predictions for the

year ahead?

a. Almanacs

b. Annual Weather Bulletins

c. National Weather Prediction

Bulletins

d. Newspapers

What type of forecast do major Navy

units provide for their operating region?

a. Area

b. Flight

c. Local

d. Route

What type of forecast do major Navy

units provide for their operating region?

a. Area

b. Flight

c. Local

d. Route

Weather satellites began service in 1960.

TIROS I - Television Infrared

Observation Satellite I

The newest satellites are equipped with

cameras that transmit pictures of cloud

formations by day or night. Other sensors

relate surface temperatures, fronts,

storms, snow, sea ice, and cloud heights.

Weather satellites are positioned about

900 miles from the Earth's surface, orbit

the Earth every 115 minutes, and view

the entire Earth three times a day.

Geosynchronous satellites hover 22,300

miles above the equator and photograph

an entire hemisphere every half an hour.

A series of United States satellites that

remain above a fixed point on the Earth

Meteorological satellites that collect

data for worldwide weather forecasting

Geosynchronous or GeostationarySatellites (GOES)

GOES provide spectacular pictures of

whole hurricane systems and frontal

weather patterns that are now a regular

part of weather forecasting.

Geosynchronous weather satellites

hover how far above the earth?

a. 22,300 feet

b. 110,150 feet

c. 11,150 miles

d. 22,300 miles

Geosynchronous weather satellites

hover how far above the earth?

a. 22,300 feet

b. 110,150 feet

c. 11,150 miles

d. 22,300 miles

Geosynchronous weather satellites

photograph an entire hemisphere how

many times a day?

a. 3

b. 12 (every two hours)

c. 24 (once an hour)

d. 48 (every half hour)

Geosynchronous weather satellites

photograph an entire hemisphere how

many times a day?

a. 3

b. 12 (every two hours)

c. 24 (once an hour)

d. 48 (every half hour)

Weather maps are printed and distributed

by the National Weather Service.

All symbols

used on the

maps are

explained in

map legends.

Isobaric forecasting is possible by

careful reading of weather maps, since

all frontal zones and wind directions

are carefully charted.

What type of forecasting is possible by

careful reading of weather maps?

a. Isobaric

b. Long-range

c. Metabolic

d. Synoptic

What type of forecasting is possible by

careful reading of weather maps?

a. Isobaric

b. Long-range

c. Metabolic

d. Synoptic

The weather symbol, ══, indicates what

type of weather condition?

a. Fog

b. Heavy snow

c. Rain

d. Thunderstorm

The weather symbol, ══, indicates what

type of weather condition?

a. Fog

b. Heavy snow

c. Rain

d. Thunderstorm

Q.1. What is a flight forecast?

A.1. A forecast of weather

conditions on successive

stages of a flight

Q.1. What is a flight forecast?

Q.2. What is a route forecast?

A.2. A forecast of weather

conditions along a specific

route

Q.2. What is a route forecast?

Q.3. What is a synoptic forecast?

A.3. A general or overall view

Q.3. What is a synoptic forecast?

Q.4. What is the World

Meteorological Organization?

A.4. An agency of the United

Nations that provides the NWS

with an exchange of weather

information

Q.4. What is the World

Meteorological Organization?

Q.5. What are two kinds of weather

reporting?

A.5. Long-range and local

Q.5. What are two kinds of weather

reporting?

Q.6. Who typically mans a Navy

weather unit?

A.6. Trained enlisted aerographer's

mates and meteorological

officers

Q.6. Who typically mans a Navy

weather unit?

Q.7. What is a terminal forecast?

A.7. A forecast of the weather

conditions at the airfield

intended for landing and

takeoff

Q.7. What is a terminal forecast?

Q.8. On ships that do not have

aerographers and meteorologists,

who conducts weather

observations and weather

reporting duties?

A.8. Ship's navigator, assisted by

trained quartermasters

Q.8. On ships that do not have

aerographers and meteorologists,

who conducts weather

observations and weather

reporting duties?

Q.9. In what year was the first

weather satellite launched,

and what was its name?

A.9. 1960, TIROS (TV and Infrared

Observation Satellite)

Q.9. In what year was the first

weather satellite launched,

and what was its name?

Q.10. Who prepares local forecasts

for the Navy?

A.10. The local forecasts are

prepared by ships or

stations.

Q.10. Who prepares local forecasts

for the Navy?

Q.11. Who issues storm warnings

for the Navy?

A.11. NMOCs responsible for the

area in which the storm is

located

Q.11. Who issues storm warnings

for the Navy?