Great Lakes Wave Buoys

[Guest]

Will these buoys indicate wave height?

They sure try. Like everything NOAA gives us, it is forecast much lower and lesser than they actually are. I understand that Meteorological prediction is an inherently imprecise science (not to mention thankless), but we have been getting really shafted by weather reports lately. We were heading to anchor in the straits for what was predicted to be 25 mile an hour winds, by the time we got there they were sustained in the high 50s and gusting over 70. I understand that the height of the instrument on the ship adds 10 miles an hour to the prediction, but this is getting ridiculous. We are currently sailing through what was forecast as 2 foot waves, closer to 8 feet in actuality. I don't know if it is El Nino, but the forecast is way off this season.

You should notify the marine meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Gaylord, Michigan, office and make him aware of the issue via email about the poor performance of the marine weather forecast you recently experienced.

The output from the Great Lakes wave models are made available to meteorologists, and the public too, but meteorologists can override what the wave models are showing, and make adjustments based on local experience before issuing a forecast. It's not the first time I've read or heard of this issue, and I recall one of the Great Lakes Fleet vessels in the early-1980s phoning NWS Marquette, via WLC-Rogers City, about wind gusts of 70-knots over eastern Lake Superior, when the forecast was for much lower wind speeds.

This time of the year, the mid-lake buoys are removed from the lakes, so that they're not damaged by ice or storms, though myself and others sure would love to have the data from those buoys during the late Fall and Winter, when storms are more prevalent.

BTW, I just found out from the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) that they will have a Winter buoy for both eastern Lake Superior and northern Lake Huron this Winter. It's a start.

[guest]

Will these buoys indicate wave height?

They sure try. Like everything NOAA gives us, it is forecast much lower and lesser than they actually are. I understand that Meteorological prediction is an inherently imprecise science (not to mention thankless), but we have been getting really shafted by weather reports lately. We were heading to anchor in the straits for what was predicted to be 25 mile an hour winds, by the time we got there they were sustained in the high 50s and gusting over 70. I understand that the height of the instrument on the ship adds 10 miles an hour to the prediction, but this is getting ridiculous. We are currently sailing through what was forecast as 2 foot waves, closer to 8 feet in actuality. I don't know if it is El Nino, but the forecast is way off this season.

[Guest]

Will these buoys indicate wave height?

[Mr Link]

The information reported on the news page appears to have been based on a Facebook post by GRERL. That may have been initiated by this Fox Weather interview with one of the researchers: https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/new-bu ... e-and-fish

It is an ongoing research project, so it is unlikely any detailed reports or articles have been published yet. Especially if this is the first year of deployment where they will have no idea if the buoys actually survive the winter or not. (The underwater robot gliders have been tested previously in the winter, but its not clear to me if the buoys have.)

[Guest]

Todays news mentioned new weather buoys being tested on the Great Lakes this Winter. Is there a link to the article that we can all see? This is extremely important information for meteorologists, weather enthusiasts and the general public, but checking GLERL's website reveals no information on these new weather buoys whatsoever.