HNMS Marine Forecasts in Cases of Weather Warnings: Verification against Satellite Measurements

Abstract

The Hellenic National Meteorological Service (HNMS) issues marine weather bulletins for the Mediterranean and the Black Seas as part of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, with wind forecasts being of high importance. This study evaluates the accuracy of HNMS marine forecasts during Wind Warning (WW) events when weather warnings were also issued for Greece. The analysis focuses on events that occurred over the Ionian and the Aegean Seas from September 2019 to February 2023. Remote sensing data are used to objectively verify the forecasted wind speed and sea state. An evaluation of the accuracy of numerical weather prediction products against satellite data during the weather system ‘Barbara’ (February 2023), that was also a WW event, is included.

Keywords

• marine warnings
• Ionian and Aegean Seas
• gale winds
• significant wave height
• ASCAT
• altimeter data