Marine Meteorology and Media Marine Meteorology and Media The
Neglected Ocean Front? The Neglected Ocean Front? Steven W. Lyons
Steven W. Lyons The Weather Channel Slide 2 What are the facts?
What are the facts? At least 60% of US population lives within 100
miles of US coast At least 60% of US population lives within 100
miles of US coast Millions visit the coast annually Millions visit
the coast annually Millions play in the ocean routinely Millions
play in the ocean routinely Many are novice mariners Many are
novice mariners Many die each year from rip currents! Many die each
year from rip currents! Devastating storms & hurricanes come
from the ocean, RESULTING IN HUGE ECONOMIC LOSSES! Devastating
storms & hurricanes come from the ocean, RESULTING IN HUGE
ECONOMIC LOSSES! Most are unaware of marine conservation needs,
pollution prevention needs or coastal erosion problems Most are
unaware of marine conservation needs, pollution prevention needs or
coastal erosion problems Slide 3 Private Sector Marine Users are
Diverse Media Is One Group Private Sector Marine Users are Diverse
Media Is One Group 1) Instrument makers 1) Instrument makers 2)
Instrument users 2) Instrument users 3) Data collectors 3) Data
collectors 4) Data processors 4) Data processors 5) Data users 5)
Data users 6) Real-time data users 6) Real-time data users 7)
Non-real time users 7) Non-real time users 8) Data Value adders 8)
Data Value adders 9) Applied users 9) Applied users 10) Research
users 10) Research users 11) Individual users 11) Individual users
Slide 4 THE MEDIA THE MEDIA A rather self-righteous group A rather
self-righteous group A very independent but dependent group A very
independent but dependent group A very powerful group A very
powerful group A potentially biasing group A potentially biasing
group A stubborn group A stubborn group A very competitive group A
very competitive group A non-scientific group A non-scientific
group Slide 5 Media Can Be An Advertiser pro/con for Marine Data
Media Can Be An Advertiser pro/con for Marine Data Slide 6 Media
Customers? Media Customers? The General Public (99% of customers)
The General Public (99% of customers) Marine Recreation Marine
Recreation Travelers/Hotels Travelers/Hotels Emergency Management
Emergency Management Small businesses affected by weather Small
businesses affected by weather Other Media Other Media Many more
Many more Slide 7 Most media outlets provide only a small fraction
of marine information Why? Most media outlets provide only a small
fraction of marine information Why? Ignorant of the need? Ignorant
of the need? Ignorant of the products available? Ignorant of the
products available? Ignorant of how to apply marine data? Ignorant
of how to apply marine data? Have not allotted time for marine
weather in their programming? Have not allotted time for marine
weather in their programming? Need high resolution data that is not
available? Need high resolution data that is not available? Slide 8
The Media Market The Media Market The coastal US dominates
population The coastal US dominates population Residents living
there do so to play in and/or near water Residents living there do
so to play in and/or near water Many boat, sail, cruise, jet ski,
surf, fish, swim in the ocean Many boat, sail, cruise, jet ski,
surf, fish, swim in the ocean The media should have a huge desire
to cover these interests The media should have a huge desire to
cover these interests Ignorance about marine keeps them mostly in
weather mode Ignorance about marine keeps them mostly in weather
mode Slide 9 Some Common Private Sector Marine Product Needs Some
Common Private Sector Marine Product Needs OIL COMPANIES OIL
COMPANIES Winds Winds Waves/Swells Waves/Swells Wave Periods Wave
Periods Maximum waves (climatology) Maximum waves (climatology)
Maximum winds (climatology) Maximum winds (climatology) Lightning
Lightning Currents/ Temperatures (multiple levels) Currents/
Temperatures (multiple levels) Tides Tides Marine Climatology
Marine Climatology Visibility Visibility Weather forecasts Weather
forecasts Slide 10 Media Marine Data Needs? Media Marine Data
Needs? High temporal and spatial resolution data High temporal and
spatial resolution data Wind, wave, swell, SST, air temperature and
water visibility Wind, wave, swell, SST, air temperature and water
visibility All within 1-15 miles of the coastline! All within 1-15
miles of the coastline! Marine education Marine education Slide 11
Media Training in Marine Meteorology Media Training in Marine
Meteorology Much to be desired? Much to be desired? No source to
provide media marine training? No source to provide media marine
training? Marine training by meteorology & atmospheric science
programs is minimal? Marine training by meteorology &
atmospheric science programs is minimal? Our competition focuses on
land, hence so will we? Our competition focuses on land, hence so
will we? Better no information than wrong information? Better no
information than wrong information? Slide 12 Marine Data Resolution
Marine Data Resolution Is inadequate or absent Is inadequate or
absent Is inferior to land data Is inferior to land data Poor
spatial/temporal resolution makes it of little value to the media?
Poor spatial/temporal resolution makes it of little value to the
media? Media reqires quantitative not qualitative data? Media
reqires quantitative not qualitative data? Slide 13 High Resolution
Not Quantified High Resolution Not Quantified Slide 14 Media Use of
Marine Data Media Use of Marine Data Data are not available in
desired locations? Data are not available in desired locations?
Slide 15 Media Use of Marine Data Media Use of Marine Data Media
realizes there are large local changes in marine observations?
Media realizes there are large local changes in marine
observations? Media decides not to show anything rather than show
information representative of only a small portion of their viewers
area? Media decides not to show anything rather than show
information representative of only a small portion of their viewers
area? Slide 16 CONCLUSIONS 1) MEDIA CAN EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT
MARINE 1) MEDIA CAN EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT MARINE WEATHER AND
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES (non scientific) WEATHER AND ENVIRONMENTAL
ISSUES (non scientific) 2) MEDIA MARINE DATA REQUIREMENTS (should
be high) 2) MEDIA MARINE DATA REQUIREMENTS (should be high) 3)
MEDIA MARINE DATA NEEDS (high, coastal & redundant) 3) MEDIA
MARINE DATA NEEDS (high, coastal & redundant) The Media needs
high temporal and spatial The Media needs high temporal and spatial
resolution marine data and derived products resolution marine data
and derived products for the immediate coastal zone (accessible on
for the immediate coastal zone (accessible on media market systems!
media market systems! Slide 17 THE END
