Puget Sound wind speed data collection system

As weather systems move from the Pacific Ocean across Western Washington, wind speed and direction on the waters of Puget Sound are influenced by the Olympic and Cascade Mountain ranges. Surface winds are often deflected or funneled. At times, the mariner in Puget Sound may find the weather vastly different from the shoreside real-time observations from NOAA sensors. During periods of high winds and maximum tidal currents, some ferries are prevented from safety landing or departing their moorings. Washington State Ferries sought a means to collect real-time meteorological data in the open waters of Puget Sound to assist operators with sailing decisions and to keep the public informed of schedule changes. In 1998, WSF implemented a Fleet Location System (FLS) using communications network services provided by Meteor Communications Corporation (MCC). The FLS uses a radio transceiver, with GPS positional inputs, to transmit ferry location, course speed and heading every thirty seconds. All FLS information is displayed on nautical charts at the WSF operations center and used as a system-wide management tool. Through a cooperative engineering effort, WSF and MCC will outfit six ferries normally used on the longest crossings with equipment to collect real-time meteorological data. A data logger, wind speed and wind direction sensor, barometric sensor and temperature and humidity sensor will be added. To each ferry. In addition, an interface to the ship's gyrocompass will be added to complete the calculations for true wind speed and direction. To gather only the necessary meteorological data, the sensors will report every fifteen minutes throughout Puget Sound.