NOUS41 KWBC 231618
PNSWSH 

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Headquarters Washington DC
1220 PM EDT Mon Jul 23 2012	

TO:       Subscribers:
          -Family of Services
          -NOAA Weather Wire Service
          -Emergency Managers Weather Information Network
          other NWS Partners, Users, and Employees

FROM:	  Mark Tew
          Chief, Marine and Coastal Weather Services Branch

SUBJECT:  Comments Sought through June 30, 2013 on New Webpage
          for Forecast and Observed Wave Information 

NWS is seeking comments through June 30, 2013, on an experimental 
marine Webpage. The NWS Weather Forecast Office (WFO) in Eureka, 
CA, has developed a graphical vector plot of predefined point 
guidance for up to six wave systems (direction, height, and 
period) and wind (direction, speed) through a 5-day period at  
6- hourly increments. If the point is associated with a buoy 
location, the previous 24 hour observations, partitioned in the 
same manner as the forecast waves, are plotted in 3 hour 
intervals. The forecast wave information is from the partitioned 
Simulating Waves Nearshore (SWAN) model output. The wind is 
forecaster derived. 

NWS marine users can use the Hanson Plots to quickly assess the 
wind and sea conditions out to 5 days. The Webpage highlights 
trends in the conditions and helps users obtain favorable and 
hazardous conditions. 

Because observed buoy data is also presented in the same format, 
users can evaluate the current conditions and forecast conditions 
at the same time. Users also can assess how the forecast is 
performing in the near term relative to current conditions 
because both views are on a plot for locations that have buoys.  
NWS forecasters also use the Hanson Plots to determine which sets 
of wave data (up to a maximum of six individual wave systems) 
will be used as initial guidance for the official gridded 
forecast.

To view the Hanson Plots, see 
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/eka/marine/hansonPlots/

For a description of this new product, see 
https://products.weather.gov/PDD/HansonPlots_Extension_PDD%20.pdf
 
To provide feedback, see  
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/survey/nws-survey.php?code=HPGT
The feedback period will run through June 30, 2013.  At the end 
of the feedback period this product will be considered for 
national implementation.

Feedback, and questions, can also be sent to:
 
Troy Nicolini
Warning Coordination Meteorologist
National Weather Service/Eureka
Eureka, CA 95501-6000 
Phone: 707-443-0574
Email: Troy.Nicolini@noaa.gov

National Public Information Statements are online at:
 
http://www.weather.gov/os/notif.htm
  
$$