Weathernews has introduced a new forecasting function to its SeaNavigator platform that it says can identify areas with potential for tropical storm formation up to 15 days in advance of official forecasts.
The Tropical Storm (TS) Risk Probability feature provides operators with early warnings of developing weather risks along shipping routes, ports and offshore sites. The forecasts are updated twice daily and displayed with four probability levels.
If a storm develops, operators can switch to the existing Tropical Cyclone (TC) Strike Probability function within the software to assess path variations and update contingency plans.
“Users can now check the risk of a tropical storm forming [along their shipping route] before it actually occurs,” said Toshio, Senior Voyage Analyst at Weathernews.
“For instance, if there’s a 50% TS risk in the South China Sea within 10 days, operators can immediately begin discussing alternative routes with stakeholders—long before they’d typically start contingency planning.”
