New wave of weather buoys - BoatU.S. Reports

Boat/US Magazine, July, 2003

Launching what it calls the latest in technological advances, the National Data Buoy Center has developed a new and improved ocean-going buoy that is expected to help the National Weather Service give more timely marine forecasts and severe weather wamings.

Scientists are testing the prototype, called ADSMEX, and will compare the data recovered with the more conventional method to see if ADSMEX really is the "wave of the future."

A smaller version of the existing weather-monitoring buoys, scientists believe the prototype will aid in faster response time for weather reporting because the lighter-weight models can be deployed by plane, offering a quicker alternative to the current method using ships.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data buoys collect real-time weather data, including wind speed and direction, wave heights, and air and sea temperatures. The ADSMEX buoy is designed to last up to six months.