Inner Saginaw Bay observation site operational.

[Walleye Express]

Greetings Capt. Dan from NOAA, National Weather Service, Detroit/Pontiac...

Earlier this week NOAA/National Weather Service officially deployed a new marine observation site on Saginaw Bay Light #1. The new instrumentation reports wind speed, peak wind gust, wind direction, air temperature, and air pressure every 10 minutes. This new observation site will provide critical weather information for researchers, Coast Guard search and rescue operations, commercial and recreational fisherman, wind farm operators, and commercial shippers.

The data can currently be accessed via the NOAA National Data Buoy Center Web site at

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=sblm4

Remember also that the latest weather and water forecasts for Saginaw Bay can be accessed at…

http://weather.gov/greatlakes

We gratefully acknowledge Coast Guard Station Saginaw River for their assistance.

We hope this message finds you wrapping up a successful season.

Sincerely,

Bryan Tilley

Meteorologist/Marine Focal Point

NOAA/National Weather Service

Detroit/Pontiac, Michigan

[Priority1]

That's cool with the 10 minute intervals on reports. I check the Gravely Shoal Light for it's hourly reports. Some times the reports don't get posted. I like these tools that show actual conditions, because a lot of the time the NOAA forecast reports are WAY WRONG. Hats off to NOAA for a step in the right direction. A nice pic of #1 Buoy also.

[Walleye Express]

Yupper Frank, I do love timely and spot-on observations. Can't say how many times one section of the bay will be flat and another 3 footers. Knowing the bay like I do, this tool will give me a lot more insight to exactly whats going on and exactly where out there. Heres something else they sent me this morning.

Capt, Dan. As an extra FYI...

The Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab (GLERL) plans to install a wave sensor, along with other water measuring equipment, on Light 1 during the spring of 2009. We expect these measurements to become available for use through the NOAA/NWS/NDBC satellite data connection and be reported along with the wind speed, direction, etc., once the installation is complete.

Hopefully, updated information will become available next spring as installation of this equipment draws nearer and I will pass it along to you.

Bryan Tilley

Meteorologist/Marine Focal Point

NOAA/National Weather Service

Detroit/Pontiac, Michigan

[Priority1]

The Gravely Shoal Light used to post a wave height report also. It hasn't posted a wave height in about a year. It's no big deal for me, as long as I know the wind velocity and direction. What we can deduce, from these two points on the bay, will be help tremendously.

[Indybleck]

This will be a great tool for the out of town fisherpeople.