981
NOUS41 KOKX 210953
PNSOKX

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
600 AM EDT TUE MAY 21 2024

...This is National Safe Boating Week...

Weather can make your time on the water wonderful or deadly. It is
vital to know how to respond to fog, rapid winds shifts,
thunderstorms, and other dangerous weather.

Fog:

Chances are when you are on the water, you will occasionally
encounter fog, making navigation a challenge. Fog forms when air
over a warm water surface is transported over a colder water
surface, resulting in cooling and condensation. Fog is usually
considered dense if it reduces visibility to less than 1 mile. It
can form quickly and catch boaters off guard. Visibility can be
reduced to a few feet, disorienting boaters. Learning to navigate
through fog (or avoiding it) is critical to safe boating.

Slow down to avoid collisions.

Turn on all of your running lights, even in daytime.

Listen for sounds of other boats that may be near you or for fog
horns and bells from nearby buoys.

VHF NOAA Weather Radio should broadcast important information
concerning the formation, movement or dissipation of the fog. Pay
close attention.

If your vessel has radar, use it to help locate dangers that may be
around you.

Use GPS or a navigation chart to help obtain a fix on your location.

If you are unable to get your bearings, stay put until the fog lifts
but make sure you are in a safe location.

Be familiar with horn and bell sounds you should produce to warn
others around you when in dense fog.

Have a compass available. Even if you don`t know where you are in
the fog, with a compass you can determine the direction you are
navigating.

Rapid Wind Shifts:

A sudden change in wind speed and/or direction will have a
significant impact on boaters. Wind speed and direction are the
primary forces creating waves. When are rapid changes in wind speed
and direction most likely?

Sudden changes in wind speed and direction often occur near
thunderstorms and fast moving rain/snow showers.

Wind shifts in direction and speed usually occur near cold fronts
and warm fronts.

This concludes today`s topic on fog and rapid wind shifts. Tomorrow
will focus on Inland Boating.

$$