PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
339 PM CDT MON MAY 22 2006

...STORM SURGE AND MARINE SAFETY...

SOME OF THE HAZARDS MOST EASILY IDENTIFIED WITH HURRICANES ARE STRONG
WINDS...TORNADOES...FLOODING AND STORM SURGE. OF THESE...STORM
SURGE AND HIGH WAVES ARE THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE TO COASTAL FACILITIES
AND CAN CAUSE TREMENDOUS COASTAL EROSION. STORM SURGE IS SIMPLY WATER
THAT IS PUSHED TOWARD THE SHORE BY THE FORCE OF THE WINDS SWIRLING
AROUND THE STORM.

THIS SURGE COMBINES WITH THE NORMAL TIDES TO CREATE THE HURRICANE
STORM TIDE...WHICH CAN INCREASE THE MEAN WATER LEVEL 15 FEET OR MORE.
AN ADDITIONAL HAZARD ALSO FORMS AS WIND DRIVEN WAVES DEVELOP UPON THE
STORM TIDE. THIS RISE IN WATER LEVEL CAN CAUSE SEVERE FLOODING IN
COASTAL AREAS. BECAUSE MUCH OF THE DENSELY POPULATED ATLANTIC AND GULF
COAST COASTLINES LIE LESS THAN 10 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL...THE
DANGER FROM STORM TIDES CAN BE TREMENDOUS.

BECAUSE OF THE SHALLOW COASTAL WATERS OFF THE TEXAS COAST...STORM 
SURGES WILL BE HIGHER FOR A TROPICAL STORM OR HURRICANE MAKING LANDFALL
VERSES THE SAME STORM HITTING OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
HISTORICALLY...STORM SURGE WAS THE MAJOR CAUSE OF DEATH FROM
HURRICANES. HOWEVER...IN THE UNITED STATES...IMPROVED NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE FORECASTS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT EVACUATIONS HAVE REDUCED
THESE NUMBERS. THE POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY STILL
REMAINS GREAT AND THIS POTENTIAL IS INCREASED WHEN WARNINGS AND
EVACUATION ORDERS ARE NOT HEEDED.

THERE IS NO SINGLE RULE OF THUMB THAT CAN BE USED BY MARINERS TO
ENSURE AT LEAST MINIMUM SAFE SEPARATION FROM A TROPICAL CYCLONE.
CONSTANT MONITORING OF TROPICAL CYCLONE POTENTIAL AND A CONTINUAL RISK
ANALYSIS...WHEN USED WITH SOME FUNDAMENTAL GUIDELINES ARE THE BASIC
RECOMMENDED TOOLS TO HELP MINIMIZE A TROPICAL CYCLONES IMPACT
TO A VESSEL AT SEA OR IN PORT.

HOWEVER...MARINERS MUST BE CAUTIONED NEVER TO LEAVE THEMSELVES WITH
ONLY A SINGLE NAVIGATION OPTION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO AVOID A TROPICAL
CYCLONE IN THE ATLANTIC. SEA ROOM TO MANEUVER IS NOT TOO SIGNIFICANT A
FACTOR IN THE WIDE OPEN WATERS OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC...BUT CAN BECOME
AN EXTREMELY SIGNIFICANT CONSIDERATION WHEN OPERATING IN THE CONFINED
WATERS OF THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN SEA AND GULF OF MEXICO.

AT A MINIMUM...OBTAIN LATEST MARINE PREDICTION CENTER AND TROPICAL
PREDICTION CENTER ANALYSIS/FORECAST CHARTS INCLUDING SURFACE...UPPER
LEVEL AND SEA STATE CHARTS. LOCATE AND PLOT TROPICAL WAVES...
DISTURBANCES AND TROPICAL CYCLONES. IF AVAILABLE...EXAMINE CURRENT
SATELLITE IMAGERY. OBTAIN THE LATEST TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVISORY MESSAGES.
PLOT CURRENT AND FORECAST POSITIONS OF ALL ACTIVE AND SUSPECTED
TROPICAL CYCLONE ACTIVITY. MAKE A CHART OF THE TROPICAL CYCLONE DANGER
AREAS TO AVOID. DETERMINE POSSIBLE COURSES OF ACTION...AT LEAST TWO...
FOR YOUR VESSEL TO TAKE IN ORDER TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE DANGER.
EVALUATE CURRENT AND NEARBY PORT AND HURRICANE HAVEN LOCATIONS THAT
MAY BE CONSIDERED FOR TROPICAL CYCLONE AVOIDANCE. MAKE A DECISION ON A
COURSE OF ACTION TO FOLLOW AND EXECUTE IT. CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR
THE PROGRESS OF ANY TROPICAL CYCLONES.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING HURRICANES OR HURRICANE
PREPAREDNESS...PLEASE VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT
WWW.SRH.WEATHER.GOV OR CONTACT YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
OFFICE.

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