Gale Warnings

[DJE]

A subject that seems quite appropriate for today.

When the two CG Stations (Belfast and Stornoway) that I normally hear on the VHF, broadcast their gale warnings, they mostly give the time of issue first. It would seem to make so much more sense to give the Sea Area first, and then the time of issue, and then the actual warning.
The time of issue is important, taken in conjunction with "Imminent ", 'Soon", "Later", but not as important as the Sea Area.

What do other CG Stations do?

I have heard Solent make and anouncment on Ch16 when a new gale warning is issued saying something like, "For a weather and safety broadcast including a new gale warning for sea area Wight listen Ch....." They then read the warning as received (time fist) which is the way they do it in their regular bulletins. But they only read the forecasts and warnings for areas Wight, Portland, Plymouth anyway so you don't have too wait long for your area of interest. Do your stations read the warnings for all areas?

 

[NormanS]

I have heard Solent make and anouncment on Ch16 when a new gale warning is issued saying something like, "For a weather and safety broadcast including a new gale warning for sea area Wight listen Ch....." They then read the warning as received (time fist) which is the way they do it in their regular bulletins. But they only read the forecasts and warnings for areas Wight, Portland, Plymouth anyway so you don't have too wait long for your area of interest. Do your stations read the warnings for all areas?

Good to get a reply addressing the original post, thank-you.
It's not a problem at the time of their regular broadcasts, but when Stornoway come out with an unscheduled new gale warning, they don't tell you the Sea Area on Ch 16. On the working channel, they give the time, and then the area concerned, which may be one or all of:-

Rockall
Malin
Hebrides
Bailey
Fair Isle
Faroes
South-East Iceland.

This is a huge area, and it is highly probable that the gale warning may be for an area that is so far away, that it is of no concern.
If they introduced the warning by saying, "There are warnings of Gales in x, y, and z", you would know whether it was of interest to you.
I wondered what other CG Stations do. In your case, if they only cover three relatively small sea areas, it probably doesn't matter.

 

[franksingleton]

But if you've got an internet connection you would need much less bandwidth to download the text of the forecast from here:-

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/marine/shipping_printable.html

Very valid. Two problems with the R4 site are that, I think, it is only digital R4. You do not get shipping forecasts noon and early evening: nor do you get warnings.

The UKMet O site is fine BUT you have to check frequently. R4 and NAVTEX are "push" systems. The internet is "pull."