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Ocean Weather Services provides global ocean weather forecasts and ship routing services to the maritime industry. In addition, our weather experts provide accurate ocean storm and hurricane tracking services as well as professional marine meteorological research reports for admiralty lawyers and marine insurance companies.
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Author Archives: Fred Pickhardt
2013 North Atlantic Hurricane Outlook
As I post this, Eastern Pacific Hurricane Barbara was making landfall over Mexico and was heading northward with some forecasts suggesting that the remnants of Barbara could move out over the Bay of Campeche during the next couple of days … Continue reading
Posted in Featured Blog, Hurricanes, Maritime Storms
Tagged 2013, atlantic, Hurricane Season, ocean weather, tropical
3 Comments
What is Optimum Ship Routing?
Optimum ship routing is the art and science of developing the “best route” for a ship based on the existing weather forecasts, ship characteristics, and special cargo requirements. For most transits this will mean the minimum transit time that avoids … Continue reading
Posted in Featured Blog, Weather Routing
Tagged ocean weather, optimum ship routing, ship routing, weather, weather routing
5 Comments
Just what is a Small Craft Advisory?
The National Weather Service has developed a multi-tier concept for forecasting hazardous weather which includes outlooks, watches, warnings and advisories. An outlook is issued to indicate that a hazardous weather or hydrologic event may occur over the next several days. … Continue reading
Posted in Featured Blog, Marine Weather Aids
Tagged advisories, NOAA, ocean weather, small craft, warnings
2 Comments
The Rex Block
Today’s 500MB Analysis shows a good example of what is known as a Rex Block where a cut-off low is topped or capped by a blocking high towards the pole. This pattern will often produce an area of strong … Continue reading
Posted in Featured Blog, Maritime Storms, Weather Delays, Weather Routing
Tagged cut-off low, North Atlantic, ocean weather, Rex Block, weather routing
2 Comments
Cut-Off Lows
The Cut-Off Low refers to an upper-level low that becomes separated or “cut-off” from the general wind flow. This often occurs when there is a large amplification in the meridional (north-south) flow associated with troughs and the cut-off circulation becomes … Continue reading
Posted in Featured Blog, Maritime Storms, Weather Routing, Weather Updates
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Negative AO caused Strong Easterlies over North Atlantic past 30 Days
The negative Arctic Oscillation of the past 2 months can be seen in the strong easterly surface winds that prevailed across the northern North Atlantic Ocean over the past 30 days as strong blocking high pressure was maintained over the … Continue reading
Late Season Hurricane Force North Atlantic Storm
A rapidly deepening storm low over the east-central North Atlantic late Friday will move northeast to north producing winds to hurricane force during the next 24 hours then turns northward and slowly weakens south of Iceland. Latest North … Continue reading
Posted in Hurricanes, Maritime Storms, Weather Routing
Tagged hurricane, North Atlantic, ocean weather, Storm
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TC Victoria off NW coast of Austrailia
TC Victoria (22S) over the Indian Ocean well off the northwest coast of Australia was moving SSE at 6kts with max winds of 80 knots and is forecast to continue to move towards the south-southeast and gradually weaken over the … Continue reading
Posted in Hurricanes, Maritime Storms, Weather Updates
Tagged indian ocean, ocean weather, tropical cyclone, Victoria
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TC Imelda strengthens over Southern Indian Ocean
TC Imelda (TC 21S) has been developing over the southern Indian Ocean and moving towards the west-southwest at 13 knots with max winds currently to 50 knots. Forecasts show that Imelda will reach hurricane strength within the next 12-24 hours … Continue reading
West Pacific Hurricane Force Storm
A rapidly developing Storm over the western North Pacific will move east-northeastward with winds increasing up to 65 knots and waves building to 13 meters (about 42 feet) during the next 36-48 hours.
Posted in Hurricanes, Maritime Storms, Weather Routing, Weather Updates
Tagged hurricane, north pacific, ocean weather, Storm
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