WASHINGTON - The Coast Guard renewed its agreement with Weatherflow, Inc., to place the company’s weather sensors on some of the service’s beacons.
The 10-year memorandum of agreement allows the installation of sensors on selected Coast Guard Aids to Navigation (ATON).
At no cost to the taxpayers, Weatherflow provides the Coast Guard with the meteorological and oceanographic data it gathers from the sensors to support the service’s safety, security and stewardship missions across U.S. waterways.
There are 141 stations in eight Coast Guard districts. The agreement also grants the Coast Guard access to information from 350 non-Coast Guard-based sensors for official use.
In addition to supporting Coast Guard missions, the sensors also fulfill reporting requirements to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and other government agencies.
According to NOAA’s National Hurricane Center, the meteorological information from Weatherflow sensors on Coast Guard Aids to Navigation is critical for providing accurate forecasts and post-storm analysis for hurricanes and other extreme weather events.
During Hurricane Florence, three of the 10 stations recording the highest winds were from Weatherflow sensors placed on Coast Guard stations.