Category Archives: NOAA OPC

Intense Hurricane-Force Storm over North Atlantic

Posted on February 6, 2022 by Fred Pickhardt

A rapidly deepening storm over the western North Atlantic, northeast of Newfoundland, will deepen to a 928 mb hurricane-force storm by 1200 UTC 7th off the southeast coast of Greenland with winds up to 90 knots. Continue reading →

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The Other Hurricane Season  

Posted on November 3, 2021 by Fred Pickhardt

Each year there are, on average, about 6 hurricanes in the North Atlantic, 8 in the Eastern North Pacific and 17 Typhoons in the western North Pacific. Few people (outside of Mariners) realize that there is another season of hurricane winds that occurs over both the North Atlantic and the North Pacific Ocean and runs from September to May. These storms do not track through the tropics, but instead are associated with the extratropical cyclones of the mid-latitudes.
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Monster North Pacific Storm Sets Record

Posted on January 1, 2021 by Fred Pickhardt

As 2020 transitioned into 2021, a rapidly deepening and intense hurricane-force storm over the western North Pacific has set an all-time record low central pressure of 921 mb breaking the previous record of 924 mb recorded on Nov 8th, 2014 … Continue reading →

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North Pacific Hurricane Force Storm Warning

Posted on November 11, 2019 by Fred Pickhardt

A developing low over the central North Pacific will deepen rapidly over the next 24-36 hours as it moves ENE then NE over the east-central  North Pacific south of the Aleutians. Expecting winds of 50-70 knots with seas building to … Continue reading →

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Hurricane Force Storm south of Greenland

Posted on November 10, 2019 by Fred Pickhardt

An intense North Atlantic Storm centered south of Greenland is producing winds of 55-75 knots with significant wave heights to 52 feet (16 meters) within 240 nm south of the center as it moves northeastward at about 20 knots.  According to … Continue reading →

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Tropical Storm Pablo forms southwest of Azores

Posted on October 25, 2019 by Fred Pickhardt

A new tropical cyclone has formed within a larger extratropical cyclone in the northeastern Atlantic. Pablo is a very small-scale tropical cyclone, but satellite data clearly show a well-defined but small circulation with 40-kt winds embedded within the larger low. … Continue reading →

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Hurricane Force Storm over North Pacific producing 17 meter waves

Posted on January 10, 2019 by Fred Pickhardt

An intense 937 mb storm over the west-central North Pacific is producing winds of 60-75 knots and significant wave heights to 17 meters (about 56 feet) within 90 to 240 nm southwest of the center and within 120 nm northeast … Continue reading →

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What does a “Gale Warning” mean?

Posted on October 29, 2018 by Fred Pickhardt

The National Weather Service has developed a multi-tier concept for forecasting hazardous weather which includes outlooks, watches, warnings and advisories.  Below are the visual day flag and nighttime light signals that warn of rough weather.  NOAA discontinued using the flags in … Continue reading →

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NOAA’s New Marine Forecast Product Improves Weather Forecasts and Safety at Sea

Posted on March 11, 2018 by Fred Pickhardt

  The following post was published on March 8, 2018 on gCaptain.com By Tom Cuff, Director, NOAA’s Ocean Prediction Center NOAA’s Ocean Prediction Center (OPC) rolled out a new forecast product suite this week to provide mariners with comprehensive weather forecasts every 24 hours … Continue reading →

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URGENT “Notice to Mariners” – Changes to NOAA marine products effective March 7th, 2018

Posted on March 6, 2018 by Fred Pickhardt

By Lee Chesneau Lee is a senior marine meteorologist, lecturer, & a graduate from the University of Wisconsin (Madison).   Lee has had a distinguished career with NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS), NOAA Satellite Service (NESDIS), U.S. Navy Ship Routing Officer … Continue reading →

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