CHAPTER 13
METEOROLOGICAL AND OCEANOGRAPHIC
BRIEFS
In previous chapters of this manual you were given
information on various aids available to help you
provide the best products to on-scene commanders.
This chapter will deal with the briefing of just a few of
these aids. In addition, we will highlight specific
environmental factors that must be considered when
mine warfare and amphibious warfare briefings are
being prepared.
Now that you have been given all this information,
your biggest challenge may be to sell it to the on-scene
commander.
The success of any operation or exercise depends,
to a large extent, on the various “players” being prepared
for any eventualities. It is of utmost importance that the
Aerographer become aware of these “what ifs” and brief
the players accordingly.
Unit 5 of AG2 TRAMAN, Volume 2, NAVEDTRA
10371, covers briefing techniques. It would be to your
advantage to review this material prior to conducting
any METOC briefings.
TROPICAL
CYCLONE DISASTER
PLANNING
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Evaluate
unit/activity preparedness for tropical cyclones.
Familiarize yourself with sources of
information used in the preparation of tropical
cyclone briefs.
I n o r d er
t o b r i e f t r o p i c al
cyclone
advisories/warnings effectively, a thorough
understanding of tropical cyclone principles,
characteristics, and climatology must first be
understood. These topics were discussed in detail in
chapter 11.
PREPAREDNESS
When dealing with tropical cyclone preparedness
you should be aware of the following important items:
l The affects that a tropical cyclone may have on
units or activities
—
—
—
What activities are prone to wind, sea, and/or
surge damage
The significance of wind direction and time
of onset of severe weather
The potential for evacuation or sortie
l That effective lines of communication must exist
throughout the threat period
SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS OF
READINESS
OPNAVINST 3140.24 provides specific guidance
and criteria for issuing conditions of readiness (COR).
Destructive weather poses a significant threat to
personnel, ships, aircraft, installations, and other
resources.
Adequate and timely weather warnings,
coupled with prompt and effective action by
commanders concerned, will minimize loss and
damage from destructive weather. Table 13-1 lists
the conditions of readiness for tropical cyclones,
subtropical, or extratropical wind storms. The lower
portion of table 13-1 list the conditions of readiness
for small area storms, that is, thunderstorms and
tornadoes.
Local area forecaster handbooks and climatological
data are very valuable as planning tools in preparing and
presenting tropical cyclone disaster briefs.
For further information on tropical cyclone disaster
planning and associated phenomena, see module 12 of
the Composite Warfare Oceanographic Support
Modules (CWOSM).
13-1
