The Florida Keys

Weather event: Marine forecast validate and verify
Weatherflow skill sets: Network reliability, lower maintenance costs

Sometimes, just a simple, reliable data feed is all it takes. Weatherflow has been, and will continue to be, the top performer in our field in sensor reliability with a system that was built to perform, 365 days a year, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Our network ‘uptime’ rate is (number here).

Many within the National Weather Service have taken notice. For example, Weatherflow has a strong working relationship with the Key West National Weather Service forecast office. In fact, they teamed up on a professional paper given at the American Meteorological Society conference a few years back. Our partnership has been particularly beneficial because WeatherFlow specializes in coastal wind and weather sensing for marine interests and the majority of Key West’s Warning Forecast Area is over water. We both have similar maintenance issues, similar siting needs, similar forecast issues, and a similar array of end users. We are uniquely positioned to provide the observations NWS Key West needs, built to last and mounted on marine assets like those shown in the three photos below: Smith Shoal, Alligator Reef, and Carysfort Reef. The C-man network run by the National Data Buoy Center and the National Weather Service has a sizable percentage of its assets in the Florida Keys. Unfortunately, this network has had a history of extended downtime at many locations, especially those with in the Florida Keys. The appreciation by Weather Service staff of being able to access the Weatherflow network is illustrated in the following two area forecast discussions issued by the Key West office.

Smith Shoal Reef

Alligator Reef

Carysfort Reef

Area Forecast Discussion (AFD) #1

C-MAN stations continue to have sporadic data outage, but Weatherflow sites, gentle to moderate easterly/ breezes across the Florida Keys Waters. Expect little change for this afternoon through Thursday night as the ridge to our north remains in control.

Area Forecast Discussion (AFD) #2

C-MAN stations have not reported during the night due to a satellite comms outage, but Weatherflow sites, Iand-based stations and a late evening ASCAT pass show gentle to moderate easterly flow across the Keys waters. Below are three of Weatherflow’s FL Keys observing assets.