Coastguard Launches Real-Time Weather Information Service At Kaikoura

Boaties in Kaikoura and its surrounds can now receive the latest marine weather information 24 hours every day by simply turning on their marine VHF radio.

The newly introduced Coastguard NowCasting service provides real-time spoken information on weather conditions at critical locations within the marine VHF radio coverage area in Kaikoura and broadcasts the updates continuously on marine VHF radio channel 22.

The new service provides up-to-the-minute local marine wind strength and direction from data collection sites at Kaikoura; New Brighton and Cape Campbell, weather forecasts for sea areas Conway, Cook and Castlepoint and tide times for Kaikoura.

The Coastguard NowCasting service is one more tool in the arsenal of safety measures that all boaties should adopt before heading out on the water. An up to date marine weather forecast enables boaties to make better informed decisions about commencing or continuing their journeys.

Wind is the most critical factor in knowing the sea conditions so Coastguard uses automatic anemometers positioned at various sites, which report wind strength and direction every sixty seconds. The wind data is bought back to a central computer and broadcast in speech on VHF radio within seconds of it being received.

President of Coastguard Kaikoura, John Macphail says "We’re delighted that Kaikoura NowCasting site has been able to go live whilst there is still plenty of summer left to enjoy. He encourages boaties to make the most of this service to enhance their safety and enjoyment on the water.”

This NowCasting site joins a network of 20 other broadcast sites already operated, free of charge to boaties, by Coastguard in Northland, Auckland, Kaipara, Raglan, Whitianga, Tairua, Whakatane/Tauranga, New Plymouth, Hawkes Bay, Wanganui, Nelson, Cook Strait, Canterbury, Dunedin and Southland. This additional site has been made possible by funding assistance through the New Zealand Community Trust.

ENDS

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