GUIDE WAVE ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING - WMO

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TABLE 9.2
Available databases of long-term records of visual observations and measurements
Country Source of observations Area covered Time spanned Parameters available
CANADA Visual observations from Voluntary Observing Global, but primarily Canadian Late 19th century to Wind speed and direction; wave and swell height, period,
Ship scheme vessels over whole globe; OWS Papa waters present direction; air and sea temperature, humidity, visibility,
observations; light vessel observations cloud amount and type, atmospheric pressure
Moored buoys – Waverider, WAVEC, NOMAD, Canadian offshore areas Waverider: 1972 to present Wind speed and direction (5 m), (NOMAD and discus
3 m discus (Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic) NOMAD, discus: 1987 to only); significant wave height, peak period, direction;
present 1-D spectra; 2-D spectra (WAVEC only)
GUIDE TO WAVE ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
HONG KONG Visual wave observations; visual and measured 0°–26°N, 100°–120°E 1971 to 1980 Wind speed and direction; wave height, period, direction;
wind observations Marine climatological summary charts for the South China
Sea 1971–80
INDIA Visual wave observations; visual and measured Indian Ocean: north of 15°S, Wave height and period; Marine climatological summaries
wind observations between 20° and 100°E
IRELAND Visual observations from Voluntary Observing 48°–59°N, 3°–16°W 1854 to present Wind speed and direction; wave height, period, direction; air
Ship scheme vessels and sea temperature, humidity, visibility, cloud amount and
type, atmospheric pressure
Beaufort scale wind estimates from light vessels 5 vessels in area bounded by Variable, from June 1939 Beaufort wind estimates twice daily
51°30'–53°12'N, 5°30'–8°12'W to February 1982
Observations from lighthouse stations 6 stations in area bounded by Variable, from September Wind speed and direction; sea state, weather, cloud cover,
51°24'–53°18'N, 5°54'–9°54'W 1985 to present visibility, air pressure, air temperature at 0600, 0900, 1100,
1400, 1700, 2300 hours civil time
Wind measurements from anemometer at 65 m 51°22'N, 7°57'W 1 August 1979 to Wind speed and direction; air temperature, sea temperature;
ASL; wave measurements from Baylor wave staff 2 February 1990 significant wave height, maximum wave height, wave period
type D19595, air temperature from platinum and mean water level
resistance thermometer in Stevenson screen on
helideck of Marathon Gas Platform
ISRAEL Visual observations 20 years Wind, wave, sea temperature
ITALY Datawell Waverider buoys, recording 10 minutes 15 locations in area bounded by Variable, from 1974 All relevant sea state parameters
every 3 hours 36°54'–45°42'N, 8°30'–18°E to 1991
JAPAN Visual wave observations, visual and measured North Pacific Ocean 1964 to 1973 Wind speed and direction; wave height, period and direction;
wind observations Papers of Ship Research Institute, Supplement No. 3,
March 1980