Gale warnings
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A gale warning is an alert issued by national weather forecasting agencies around the world in an event that maritime locations currently or imminently experiencing winds of gale force on the
Beaufort scale The Beaufort scale is an empirical measure that relates wind speed to observed conditions at sea or on land. Its full name is the Beaufort wind force scale. History The scale was devised in 1805 by the Irish hydrographer Francis Beaufort ...
. Gale warnings (and gale watches) allow mariners to take precautionary actions to ensure their safety at sea or to seek safe anchorage and ride out the storm on land. Though usually associated with deep low-pressure areas, winds strong enough to catalyze a gale warning can occur in other conditions too, including from anticyclones, or high-pressure systems, in the continental interior. The winds are not directly associated with a tropical cyclone.


Usage in the United States


Maritime

In the United States, the National Weather Service issues gale warnings for marine areas (oceans, sounds, estuaries, and the Great Lakes) experiencing, or about to experience, winds within the range of to . In United States maritime warning flag systems, two red pennants indicate a gale warning; the use of one such flag denotes a
small craft advisory A small craft advisory is a type of wind warning issued by the National Weather Service in the United States. In Canada a similar warning is issued by Environment Canada. It is issued when winds have reached, or are expected to reach within 12 h ...
. The National Weather Service issues a storm warning for higher winds of to at sea. In the event of a tropical cyclone, however, a tropical storm warning replaces both the gale warning and the storm warning. In this situation, the storm warning maritime flag is also used in lieu of the gale warning pennants, regardless of the intensity of the tropical storm.


Land

The National Weather Service issues a similar high wind warning ( Specific Area Message Encoding code: HWW) for high winds on land. The criteria vary from place to place; however, in most cases, the warning applies to winds of to for at least 1 hour; ''or'' any gusts of to on land. It is more severe than a ''wind advisory'', but not as severe as an ''
extreme wind warning An extreme wind warning ( SAME code EWW) is an alert issued by the National Weather Service for areas that will experience sustained surface winds 100 knots (115 mph, 185 km/h, 51 m/s) or greater within one hour, due to a lan ...
'', which is generally issued if hurricane-force winds are expected. The high wind warning is not issued if a tropical storm warning, blizzard warning,
winter storm warning A winter storm warning ( SAME code: WSW) is a hazardous weather statement issued by Weather Forecast Offices (WFO) of the National Weather Service (NWS) in the United States to alert the public that a winter storm is occurring or is about to occur ...
, severe thunderstorm warning, dust storm warning, or tornado warning covers the phenomenon. This should not be confused with the extreme wind warning tag, which denotes wind speeds of 115 mph or greater, and is most often seen in powerful hurricanes.


Usage in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the
Met Office The Meteorological Office, abbreviated as the Met Office, is the United Kingdom's national weather service. It is an executive agency and trading fund of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and is led by CEO Penelope E ...
issues gale warnings, and radio broadcasts them four times a day at fixed times on 198 kHz in the Shipping Forecast, part of the broadcast output of BBC Radio 4. If a considerable time will intervene before the next Shipping Forecast, forecasters may issue an extra gale warning, read between programmes. The Meteorological Office issues warnings for sea areas surrounding the United Kingdom for all predictions of winds of
Beaufort scale The Beaufort scale is an empirical measure that relates wind speed to observed conditions at sea or on land. Its full name is the Beaufort wind force scale. History The scale was devised in 1805 by the Irish hydrographer Francis Beaufort ...
Force 8 or greater, the forecasts extending as far north as Iceland and as far south as southern Spain. Robert FitzRoy developed the first weather forecasting and storm warning system. On 1 September 1860 weather reports began to be collected at the Meteorological Office in London via electric telegraph and on 5 February 1861 the first storm warning was issued. After his death in 1865 the storm warning service was discontinued due to the ongoing debate about its scientific accuracy but the increased loss of life caused a public outcry and a campaign in press and in parliament saw the restoration of storm warnings in 1867. The service continues to this day and is now known as the iconic Shipping Forecast.


Usage in Ireland

Met Éireann, the Republic of Ireland meteorological office, issues an area forecast for the Irish Sea and warnings for sea areas around Ireland with headlands of Ireland (e.g. Fair Head,
Malin Head Malin Head ( ga, Cionn Mhálanna) is the most northerly point of mainland Ireland, located in the townland of Ardmalin on the Inishowen peninsula in County Donegal. The head's northernmost point is called Dunalderagh at latitude 55.38ºN. It is ...
,
Mizen Head Mizen Head ( ga, Carn Uí Néid) is traditionally regarded as the most southerly point of mainland Ireland. It is at the end of the Mizen Peninsula in the district of Carbery in County Cork. Geography Mizen Head is one of the extreme points ...
,
Carnsore Point Carnsore Point ( or ''Ceann an Chairn'') is a headland in the very South East corner of County Wexford, Ireland. This headland is Ireland's southern limit point of the Irish Sea, on the western side of St George's Channel. Ptolemy's ''Geography ...
) defining stretches of coast.


Usage in Canada

In Canada, the Meteorological Service of Canada branch of the Environment and Climate Change Canada issues a similar gale warning for lakes, oceans, and other marine areas within the country.


Usage in the Philippines

In the Philippines, the
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration Pagasa may refer to: * ''Pagasa'' (genus), an insect genus in the family Nabidae *PAGASA, an acronym for the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration *"May Pagasa", a pen-name of José Rizal *Pagasa, alternate s ...
(PAGASA) branch of the
Department of Science and Technology Department of Science and Technology may refer to: *Department of Science and Technology (Australia), an Australian Government department between November 1980 and December 1984 * Department of Science and Technology (India) * Department of Science ...
(DOST) issues gale warnings during weather disturbances (including typhoons) within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).


Example

The following is an example of a Gale Warning issued by the National Weather Service office in
North Webster, Indiana North Webster is a town in Tippecanoe Township, Kosciusko County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 1,146 at the 2010 census. History North Webster was platted in 1837, and named for Daniel Webster. The post office at North Webster ...
.
URGENT - MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
901 PM EDT WED OCT 29 2014

LMZ043-046-300915-
/O.CON.KIWX.GL.W.0014.141031T1200Z-141101T0900Z/
NEW BUFFALO MI TO ST JOSEPH MI-MICHIGAN CITY IN TO NEW BUFFALO MI-
901 PM EDT WED OCT 29 2014

...GALE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM FRIDAY TO 5 AM EDT
SATURDAY...

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 15 TO 25 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 30 KNOTS BY
  DAYBREAK FRIDAY...VEERING NORTH TO 35 KNOT GALES WITH GUSTS TO
  45 KNOT GALES FRIDAY. NORTH WINDS DIMINISHING TO 20 TO 30
  KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 35 KNOT GALES LATE FRIDAY NIGHT.

* WAVES..5 TO 8 FEET LATE THURSDAY NIGHT...BUILDING TO 14 TO 20
  FEET FRIDAY...SUBSIDING TO 8 TO 12 FEET LATE FRIDAY NIGHT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A GALE WARNING MEANS WINDS OF 34 TO 47 KNOTS ARE IMMINENT OR
OCCURRING. OPERATING A VESSEL IN GALE CONDITIONS REQUIRES
EXPERIENCE AND PROPERLY EQUIPPED VESSELS. IT IS HIGHLY
RECOMMENDED THAT MARINERS WITHOUT THE PROPER EXPERIENCE SEEK SAFE
HARBOR PRIOR TO THE ONSET OF GALE CONDITIONS.

&&

$$

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR
UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX/?N=MARINE


See also

* Severe weather terminology (United States) *
Small craft advisory A small craft advisory is a type of wind warning issued by the National Weather Service in the United States. In Canada a similar warning is issued by Environment Canada. It is issued when winds have reached, or are expected to reach within 12 h ...
* Storm warning * Tropical cyclone warnings and watches


References


External links


Meteorological Service of Canada
{{SevWea nav Weather warnings and advisories Seas Winds