CHAPTER 4

Trough
Any elongation in the isobars
of a low pressure system is
called a trough. Signicant
troughs are indicated by a
dashed line on the synoptic
chart. Troughs are usually
associated with precipitation
and thunderstorms in
Queensland.

Ridge
Any elongation of the
isobars in a high pressure
system is called a ridge. In
Queensland these commonly
form on the northern side
of a high pressure system as
its centre moves from the
Great Australian Bight to
the Tasman Sea. Where the
isobars cross the Queensland
coast, a ridge usually forms
and sometimes this results
in strong winds as the air
mass is whipped out of the
high pressure cell around the
sharper bend in the isobars. This is a predominant feature of marine forecasts in Queensland,
and if the pressure cell is in excess of about 1025 hectoPascals at its centre, often results
in a strong wind warning being issued by the Bureau of Meteorology somewhere along the
Queensland coast.

Local knowledge is important with regard to weather!

A meteorological rule of thumb says that high pressure
systems are generally associated with ne weather and low
pressure systems with bad weather. However a strong ridge
of high pressure on the Queensland coast can mean high
winds and rough seas!

76

C H A P T E R 4 W E AT H E R S Y S T E M S

CHAPTER 4
This mass wreckage in Airlie Beach in February 2008 was not the result of a cyclone, but a low pressure system being
squeezed against a high to the south, resulting in strong northerly winds and very high seas. More than 30 vessels
were driven ashore or sunk.

Study the following chart:

The low pressure system over Queensland is part of a monsoon trough - the
summer convergence zone of the equatorial low pressure belt and the high pressure
belt further south. Note the position of this low and the direction of the wind over
the central Queensland coast.
The vessels
pictured were
anchored or
moored in a
bay exposed to
northerly winds
on this day.

C H A P T E R 4 W E AT H E R S Y S T E M S

77

CHAPTER 4

The Aneroid Barometer

One of the most important instruments on board a vessel at sea is the Aneroid Barometer.
This device measures atmospheric pressure and should be treated with respect and checked
regularly it can tell you if a cyclone is approaching!
The barometer only indicates the current atmospheric
pressure at rst reading. This is all very well, but its the
rate of change of atmospheric pressure over time that
indicates how steep a pressure gradient is. Therefore
the barometer must be read at regular intervals, and
its reading noted in the ships log book. A rapid fall in
barometric pressure indicates the approach of a low
pressure system with a steep pressure gradient.
The barometer is a precision instrument, with delicate components. Before taking a reading,
tap the glass lightly with your nger as this will settle the pointer at the true position. In
general, a rising pressure indicates improving conditions. A gentle fall in pressure may be
nothing to be concerned about however a rapid drop in pressure may indicate bad weather
is approaching fast. In Queensland this may mean a cyclone.

Cyclones
Known around the world as tropical revolving storms, they are also referred to as typhoons
in tropical Asia, and hurricanes in the American region. All of northern Australia is subject
to the formation of cyclones in summer, and occasionally they may reach as far south as
New Zealand. Although the ofcial cyclone season is from December to April, cyclones may
rarely develop outside these months.
The ability to forecast cyclones has improved dramatically over recent times, however they
remain little understood and are famous for their unpredictable nature once they have
formed. They derive energy from warm tropical seas with a temperature of at least 26.5
degrees Celsius, although once formed can sustain themselves over cooler waters.

78

C H A P T E R 4 W E AT H E R S Y S T E M S

CHAPTER 4

Cyclones vary in severity from category 1 (least severe) to category 5 (most destructive).
However, any cyclone at sea is something to avoid!
Signs of an approaching cyclone may include:


An unsteady or rapidly falling barometer.

Signicant cloud formations or a lurid sky.

Extremely heavy swell.

High humidity.

If a cyclone warning is issued be the Bureau of Meteorology, monitor the position and
track of the storm and try to avoid it. If in doubt get out! Never try and second guess
the forecast. Head for a safe anchorage inshore. If shelter is out of reach or you are near
a reef system you must head to sea and ride the storm out by following certain avoidance
strategies.
Prepare for the cyclone by:


Finding a safe haven. Shallow mangrove creeks away from exposed winds are suitable.
Try to enter the creek with a little more water than you draft and be aware that the tide
will be extreme due to storm surge the action of intense low pressure sucking the
water upwards. Anchors should be well ahead or secured on the shore if possible.

Secure hatches, clear decks, stow or lash loose gear, board up large windows or
tape them.

Centralise weight and keep heavy objects low down in the vessel.

Check the bilge pump is operating correctly.

If possible, remove the motor from the tender and ll it with water to prevent
it becoming airborne.

Cook plenty of hot food and keep morale high.

If you operate in northern waters, learn as much about

cyclones as you can they are a part of life. Your Skipper can
tell you more about rules to avoid a cyclone when at sea.

C H A P T E R 4 W E AT H E R S Y S T E M S

79

CHAPTER 4

Tidal stream and current

Tidal stream is the movement of water caused by the rise and fall of the tides due to the
gravitational pull of the moon and the sun. Current is the movement of water caused by
prevailing winds, temperature differences between bodies of water and the Coriolis Effect.
Tidal stream is more prevalent and noticeable around inshore waters, whereas currents are a
feature of the open ocean.
In northern waters of Australia, tidal ranges can be very large, particularly during the dark
of the moon (new moon) and the full moon each month. This results in faster running
tidal streams between high and low water, and of course affects many decisions regarding
navigation of the ship. For example, anchoring in four metres of water at high tide when the
fall of the tide is expected to be three metres or more is not a wise thing to do!

When the tidal stream is against the prevailing wind, conditions will be more choppy as this
tends to make the waves stand up and the distance between wave crests are shorter. At
anchor, the stream may be powerful enough to hold the stern of the vessel directly into the
wind at times.
Tidal heights and times are predicted for each year for every port, and a copy of the Tide
Tables will be onboard your vessel. Always know what the tide is doing, and predicted to do
at all times when at sea.

80

C H A P T E R 4 W E AT H E R S Y S T E M S

CHAPTER 4

Heights

Highest
astronomical tide (HAT)
Mean high
water springs (MHWS)

Spring rise

Spring range

Neap rise

Neap range

Mean high
water neaps (MHWN)

Mean sea level (MSL)

Mean low
water neaps (MLWN)

Mean low
water springs (MLWS)

Drying heights

Lowest
astronomical tide (LAT)
Soundings

Chart datum

Tidal Planes

Most ports have two high tides and two low tides in each 24 hours (semidiurnal tides),
though some ports have only one high tide and one low per 24 hours (diurnal tides). In the
example above, time is given in 24 hour format, and the heights of the water given in metres
above lowest astronomical tide. That is, the lowest level that the tide may be expected to
ever reach under normal meteorological conditions, with a conducive relationship between
the sun, moon and earth.

Depending on where you are, tide times and heights will vary
slightly from the standard port from where the prediction is
based. Learn how to apply this correction from your Skipper or
from the Tide Tables and Boating Safety Guide.

C H A P T E R 4 W E AT H E R S Y S T E M S

81

CHAPTER 4

Sources of weather information

Forecasting the weather has come a long way in recent times, and many sources are
available, including newspaper and television, internet and radio.
Experience will help you identify cloud patterns, swell, barometric readings, and changing
wind directions, and these can give you a very good idea of what to expect.

Your own observations are a very valuable resource when at

sea, and you must make the effort to learn all you can about
the environment you work in, and the local weather patterns
that predominate.

82

C H A P T E R 4 W E AT H E R S Y S T E M S