Course Syllabus and Outline Marine Weather Level 1:
Day 1 (8-8:30AM to 4-4:30 PM)
1. Marine weather map discussion
2. Review of essentials from Marine Weather Level 1:
An overview of how weather works; the atmosphere and principles of how clouds form;
Observing cloud types and what they mean to a mariner.
3. Basic review of pressure and wind concepts.
4. The surface weather map: An overview of surface weather systems (lows, fronts, and
troughs; highs and ridges). Warning labels and wind barbs and other surface chart
symbols as depicted on Ocean Prediction Center (OPC) and Tropical Prediction Center
(TPC) marine surface weather maps.
5. Reinforcement exercise for Marine Weather Level 1
6. Introduction to sea & swell wave formation, propagation & decay concepts; An
overview of OPC and TPC wind & wave analyses and forecast charts.
7. Map Discussion
8. Homework assignment
Day 2
8-8:30 AM to 4-4:30 PM
1. Marine weather map discussion
2. Local weather phenomenon. (Emphasizing the Gulf Stream North Wall episodes…east
coast; Puget Sound Convergence Zone, Santa Anna Winds, & Tehuantepec episodes
(for the west coast).
3. Introduction to upper air weather charts & their uses; 500 Mb basics & their integration
with surface weather maps for forecasting and introductory routing and heavy weather
avoidance.
4. Tropical Cyclone basics and the 1-2-3 rule for avoidance.
5. Navigating for your weather information; where to access weather information while at sea from the public domain.
Reinforcement review questions and application exercises will be administered to ensure that the objectives of upper charts as they relate to surface marine weather charts are properly interpreted and read. Review handout material will be provided at the end of the session to compliment notes taken as well as reinforcement exercises.
