The official tropical weather thread - 2013

[Hook]

Rough Seas Bulletin #4
Issued 6pm 27/2/2013

[MonsterPower]

much thanks hook

btw is this due to the high winds we are experiencing???

[Hook]

Not really. The underwater dynamics are different, but at this time of year, we expect wave heights to be moderate, occasionally rough owing to the seasonal increase in the surface winds. Remember, we're in "kite flying season".
What was important here was the long period of the wave, period being a function of the speed. When it has that long to build, by the time it gets to shallower water, it has considerable energy and it crashes violently.

However, the bulletin has been discontinued. Please excuse the fact that this particular forecaster didn't sign and scan the document.

Rough Seas Bulletin #5.
Bulletin Discontinued.

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

more waves?

[link]

SUNDAY 10TH MARCH.....................
.
GREAT SURFER CHALLENGE

[nismaniac]

20 feet, interesting to look at from a safe distance.

[Hook]

Someone forwarded me a screen shot of the facebook comments associated with that image/document (since I'm not on the book of faces of course). Lemme try to clear up a few things brought up in the comments. Please inform the ignorant.
NOTE: Some of these are my personal thoughts. I am in no way speaking on behalf of the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Services.

1. The Met Office has no wave monitoring equipment, no wave physicists, no marine meteorology department, nor any marine automatic weather stations to the north. Thus far, several successive governments have not deemed such things as important enough to fund, despite the fact that the TTMS have been entrusted with the responsibility of being the tsunami early warning centre for the region. Take that up with the relevant minister.
The TTMS do not get wave information from any "seaweed" website. There are official, dedicated meteorological information networks for that.

2. ODPM, TEMA are the first responders/coordinating bodies in the event of any mishaps and they have been informed since Monday, as well as the relevant government departments. When it concerns you, you'll know.

3. Comments about "anomalies", "freak waves" etc. are necessary layman terms so that what is disseminated is easily understood. The public forecast, believe it or not, is ridiculously "dumbed down" so the public doesn't misinterpret all the technical terms and explanations involved in an actual forecast.
Despite that, the public still panics every time the term "tropical wave" is mentioned. The public doesn't need to know EVERYTHING concerning the weather. Most times, all you need to know is if/when/how hard it's going to rain and if seas are going to be rough.
That "seas slight to moderate, waves up to 2.5m in open waters and less than 1m in sheltered areas" might not be pertinent to you, but some end users need it, so shut up about it. You're going to ignore the parts irrelevant to your interests anyway. Grow up.

4. It is not the Met Office's policy to issue public warnings five and six days in advance as there is an increased level of inaccuracy and uncertainty the further away any forecast is projected (you'll remember that in the hurricane season, forecasts tracks for tropical cyclones several days in advance are given as a "cone of uncertainty").

5. At the very least, you would have had 96hrs warning. This is protocol. Neither you nor I have any say in that matter.

[MISHI]

3. Comments about "anomalies", "freak waves" etc. are necessary layman terms so that what is disseminated is easily understood. The public forecast, believe it or not, is ridiculously "dumbed down" so the public doesn't misinterpret all the technical terms and explanations involved in an actual forecast.
Despite that, the public still panics every time the term "tropical wave" is mentioned. The public doesn't need to know EVERYTHING concerning the weather. Most times, all you need to know is if/when/how hard it's going to rain and if seas are going to be rough.
That "seas slight to moderate, waves up to 2.5m in open waters and less than 1m in sheltered areas" might not be pertinent to you, but some end users need it, so shut up about it. You're going to ignore the parts irrelevant to your interests anyway. Grow up.

Imagine if they said Tropical tsunamis....

[Bezman]

Our forecast tools and models for wave height are very accurate.. only off by a few hours and one or two feet. We are able to forecast up to 17 days ahead with a fair bit of accuracy. this swell coming next week is bigger than the one that mashed up the road before Mt Irvine (Grange bay) and sank a boats etc..

[Bezman]

This is video of the last swell which was allot smaller than this one

[Hook]

Maybe y'all should approach the relevant bodies to start some actual research on waves here.

[Bezman]

We have approached them several times, call them every time a swell is coming, and we are greeted with the same response.. pretty much exactly what you said above... no new equipment etc is needed, all they need to do is check the LOLA sites that offer this info, this is no rinky dink "seaweed" websites.. they get their info from the US NAVY/WAM/LOLA.

[shorty d]

I wanna see this

[Yorkshirelass]

http://m.guardian.co.tt/news/2013-03-06 ... _campaign=

[searchingone]

so where's the best spot to go wave watching?

[gundelero]

good stuff

[Hook]

http://www.metoffice.gov.tt

Have a safe weekend folks.

4-Day Weather Outlook

Rough Seas Bulletin #1

[nismaniac]

so where's the best spot to go wave watching?

North coast I guess.

[xtech]

I not going toco to watch waves that too far for me...I have a nice spot west side

[streetbeastINC.]

some weather approaching.....

[noshownogo]

Good heads up, no washing of car this weekend.

[Hook]

yeh bai and I was due for a wash this wknd inno...oh well...just clean the inside I guess

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

Hook any 3 day forecast for the weekend?

[streetbeastINC.]

myt be lucky and it dissipates

[Hook]

The 4-day weather outlook comes out 2mro. I'll post it when I get it.

[hustla_ambition101]

Well my plants will be happy.....

[hustla_ambition101]

Omgwtfbbq.........rain pouring in Chaguanas, dark skies..........

[kurpal_v2]

Rain in stagustine, quite dark.



Padna bbm'ed saying flood in pos?

[cornfused]

No there is not flood downtown at 12 noon . Now persons are going about their business as usual , the rain fall is not very hard but its still coming down .

[black start]

Rain in stagustine, quite dark.

thanks, I be staying home today folks