/. Acquire, analyze and disseminate data and 

 perform basic and applied research on the 

 propagation of electromagnetic waves; 



]'. Perform research and development relating to 

 the oceans and inland waters, the lower and 

 upper atmosphere, the space environment, the 

 earth, and the use of the electromagnetic 

 spectrum for telecommunications purposes, as 

 may be necessary or desirable to develop an 

 understanding of the processes and phenomena 

 involved, and research and development relating 

 to the observation, communication, processing 

 correlation, analysis, dissemination, storage, 

 retrieval, and use of environmental data as may 

 be necessary or desirable to permit the Admin- 

 istration to discharge its responsibilities. 



ESSA operates three primary centers which 

 support its marine weather activities. The National 

 Meteorological Center (NMC) at Suitland, Mary- 

 land, provides broadscale meteorological analyses 

 and prognoses on a hemispheric basis. The Na- 

 tional Environmental SateUite Center, also at 

 Suitland, operates the National Operational 

 Meteorological SateUite (NOMS) System to pro- 

 vide global cloud cover mosaics, sea-ice informa- 

 tion, and other interpretive data on a daily basis. 

 The National Hurricane Center at Miami, Florida, 

 provides hurricane forecasts and warnings in the 

 North Atlantic Ocean (west of 35°W), the Carib- 

 bean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. 



Fourteen area forecast centers are operated 

 within the 50 States and Puerto Rico to provide 

 marine weather analyses, forecasts, and warnings 

 for their areas of responsibility. The centers at 

 Boston, Washington, Miami, New Orleans, and San 

 Juan provide limited forecast and warning service 

 for fishing fleets operating in the North Atlantic 

 Ocean (west of 60°W), the Caribbean Sea, and the 

 Gulf of Mexico. Forecasts and warnings for the 

 Great Lakes are issued by the Chicago center. 



The Coastal Warning Display system is a co- 

 operative network of visual (flag and hght) displays 

 maintained at prominent locations along the sea- 

 coasts, the Great Lakes, and inland waterways to 

 advise boating and other marine interests when 

 small craft, gale, storm and hurricane warnings are 

 in effect. 



ESSA publishes, on an annual basis, predictions 

 of tides and tidal currents. It also issues opera- 



tional forecasts of tsunami arrival times, storm 

 surges, and sea-sweU-surf conditions. 



ESSA predicts the times and heights of high 

 and low waters for 54 stations in the U.S. and its 

 possessions. These predictions are also available for 

 39 stations in 18 different nations and U.N. Trust 

 Territories. Tide predictions are published each 

 year (approximately six months in advance). The 

 Coast and Geodetic Survey (preceding the forma- 

 tion of ESSA) has been publishing tide predictions 

 since 1867. 



ESSA also predicts the times of slack waters 

 and the times, speeds, and directions of maximum 

 tidal currents for 35 coastal and harbor stations in 

 the United States. Charts showing the distribution 

 of tidal currents are available for nine major U.S. 

 harbors and estuaries. Tidal current predictions 

 have been published since 1890. ESSA carries out 

 a comprehensive tide and tidal current data collec- 

 tion program; all tide and tidal current predictions 

 of the U.S. Government are based on these data. 



The Tsunami Warning System, in operation 

 since 1948, provides predictions of arrival times of 

 potentially dangerous tsunamis. These predictions 

 are sent (for subsequent dissemination) to 10 

 nations bordering the Pacific Ocean and to the 

 States of California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, 

 and Alaska (including the Aleutian Islands). In 

 addition, U.S. possessions, U.N. Trust Territories 

 under U.S. supervision, and U.S. military activities 

 receive these tsunami warnings. 



A storm surge warning service for U.S. coastal 

 areas on the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico is 

 operated by ESSA, in conjunction with the hurri- 

 cane warning service. In support of the storm surge 

 warning service, ESSA is developing storm surge 

 models as well as techniques for forecasting 

 extra-tropical storm surges. Seiche and storm surge 

 forecasts for Lake Michigan and Lake Erie are 

 issued routinely. 



Surf and breaker forecasts for the Los Angeles- 

 San Diego coastal area are provided by the Los 

 Angeles area center in cooperation with the Navy's 

 FNWC. A wind-wave and swell forecasting pro- 

 gram, based on techniques developed by the Navy, 

 is undergoing operational evaluation; the program 

 uses meteorological forecasts produced by ESSA's 

 NMC. 



Three area centers also provide analysis and 

 forecast services to meet U.S. responsibilities to 

 the World Meteorological Organization. The center 



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