The Coastal Storms Program
Coastal Storm Program
Florida Regional Map |
NOAA's Coastal Storms Program (CSP) is a cross cutting Multi-Line Office
program designed to achieve an enhanced, seamless observation-to-user capability across NOAA.
CSP will provide accessible data and information, forecasts, value-added tools and training for users
regarding coastal storm impacts within coastal watersheds.
CSP Pilot Project 1: St. Johns River watershed of northeast Florida
In the first year of the pilot program, a new data buoy
(NDBC Buoy 41012)
was deployed off the northeast coast of Florida. Since its establishment in June 2002,
this buoy has provided real-time maritime observations which were not previously available.
Information gathered by this buoy on ocean winds and wave heights assists mariners and allows
forecasters to provide advanced warnings of weather hazards. Additional oceanic sensors have been
added to NDBC Coastal Marine Automated Network (C-MAN) sites at
Folly Beach, South Carolina
and Duck Pier, North Carolina
to gather real-time ocean conductivity and temperature data to derive ocean salinity.
This maritime information is also helping to improve two new weather forecast models.
The high-resolution weather model is producing 24-hour forecasts four times a day that predict
atmospheric variables such as winds, precipitation, and marine visibility. The new model enables
forecasters to better predict localized conditions including fog, which can impede mariners and
motorists. A second model was developed to forecast waves in nearshore areas. Prior to the
Coastal Storms Program, there was not an operational model that covered nearshore areas. This
lack of information made it difficult for forecasters to predict wave heights. The oceanic
measurements gathered by the Coastal Storms Program buoy are helping to verify the wave model's
forecast and suggest methods to improve the model to better predict future marine conditions.
Coastal Services Center - CSP Florida Products
CSP Pilot Project 2: Coastal Areas of Columbia River in Pacific Northwest
The second Coastal Storms Program pilot project is focused on a portion of the Lower Columbia
River and includes the northwest Oregon and southwest Washington coasts. To support the project
goal of enhanced meteorological and oceanic observations, a new buoy,
NDBC Buoy 46089, was
deployed off the coast of Tillamook, Oregon in November 2004. This buoy has provided real-time
maritime observations which were not previously available and has been especially helpful in
reporting and recording the sea and weather conditions occurring in the extreme winter storms
which batter the coastal communities of the western United States.
