CHART #1

LOCAL WEATHER.—For extended remarks on the marine TROPICAL SURFA C E

climate along foreign coasts, see the appropriate Sailing CYCLONES PRESSURE
Directions and Planning Guides prepared and published by The mean tracks of This chart shows the
the National Imagery and Mapping Agency ; for the coasts tropical storms and hurri- average barometric pres-
of the United States and its possessions, see the appropri- canes are shown in red. sure reduced to sea level.
ate Coast Pilot prepared and published by the National These tracks represent av- Isobars are solid blue
Ocean Service. The trimester publication “Mariners erages, and movements of lines for every 2.5 milli-
Weather Log” prepared and published by the National Oce- individual systems may bars difference in pres-
anic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather vary widely. sure.
Service, carries informative articles on marine climate
conditions and tropical cyclone information.

CHART #2
AIR VISIBILITY
APRIL TEMPERATURE Blue lines show per-
The mean air tempera- centages of observations
ture (°C) in red lines is reporting visibilities less
shown for every 2 de- than 2 miles.
PRESSURE.—Although the subtropical high continues to grees. All weather narra-
stretch the width of the South Pacific during April, the tives refer to air tempera
arrival of cooler temperatures decreases its prominence.
This permanent high pressure belt maintains a center near
30°S, 90°W, averaging just over 1020 millibars. A second
center over the Great Australian Bight has a mean near CHART #3
1019 millibars. South of 45°S, the strong zonal pressure
gradient continues; its southerly pressure decrease aver- GALES S E A SURFA C E
ages 20 to 22 millibars in 15° latitude. The equatorial The red numerals in TEMPERATURE
trough nearly centered over the equator maintains a the center of each 5-de- The mean sea surface
slightly lower mean pressure over the western South Pa- gree square on this inset temperature (C°), in blue
cific. chart show the average lines, is shown for every
percentage of ship re- degrees.
ports in which winds of at
TEMPERATURE.—The temperature gradient is fairly uni- least force 8 have been
form over most of the South Pacific except in the tropics recorded for the month.
where there is a very broad gradient and along the South In cases where the obser-
American coast where the Peru current influences and vation count is low the
irregular gradient. Means range from 2°C at 60°S to 29°C gale frequency may be
nonrepresentative and
in the tropics. Examination of extremes shows that only therefore different from
about 2% of the observations fall outside the -1°C to 6°C the values used in the text.
range at 60°S and 2% fall outside the 21°C to 33°C range Where “0” is given, gales
at the equator. may have been recorded,
but too infrequently to
give a percentage value.
WINDS.—East to southeast winds generally prevail north
of 40°S, except north and northwest of New Guinea where
northerly winds prevail. Across this broad region winds
average force 3 to 4. South of 40°S, winds are slightly
stronger than in previous months, averaging force 4 to 6;
westerly winds continue to prevail here.
EXPLANATION OF WIND ROSES
GALES.—Only a few areas north of 40°S report gale (force PREVAILING WINDS AND CALMS.—The wind rose in
8 or greater) frequencies of 5% percent. Frequencies in- blue color is located in the center of each 5° square
crease to 10% or more south of New Zealand over the where there was sufficient data. The rose shows the
western two-thirds of the South Pacific and south of 40°S distribution of the winds that have prevailed in the
over the eastern third. Most regions east of the interna- area over a considerable period. The wind percentages
tional date line and south of 50°S report frequencies of are summarized for the eight points and calm. The ar-
20% or more; frequencies reach 30% through the Drake rows fly with the wind indicating the direction from
Passage at 60°S. which the wind blew. The length of the shaft, measured
from the outside of the circle using the scale below,
TROPICAL CYCLONES.—During April, the average number gives the percent of the total number of observations
of tropical storms (> 34 knots), which occur only in the in which the wind has blown from that direction. The
northwest quadrant, is half or fewer than that of the pre- number of feathers shows the average force of the
vious three months. An average of 1.7 storms are expected wind on the Beaufort scale. The figure in the center
to reach 34 knots or more and of these, 0.3 are expected of the circle gives the percentage of calms. When the
to reach hurricane strength (64 knots or more). arrow is too long to fit conveniently in the 5° square,
anything over 29 percent, the shaft is broken and the
VISIBILITY.—Little change is noted from the March mean percentage is indicated by numerals.
pattern of visibilities less than 2 miles. Frequencies reach FOR EXAMPLE.—The sample wind rose
10% between 40°S and 50°S and increase southerly to 30% should read thus: In the reported observations
over the western three-quarters of the South Pacific be- the wind has averaged as follows:
tween 50° and 60°S. From N. 3 percent, force 3; N.E. 16 percent,
force 4; E. 61 percent, force 4; S.E. 17 percent,
force 5; S. 1 percent, force 4; S.W. less than 1
WAVE HEIGHTS.—With the exception of some coastal re- percent, force 3; W. 1 percent force 2; N.W. 1
gions of Chile, New Zealand, and Australia, most areas percent, force 4; calms 0 percent.
south of 20°S report wave heights of 12 feet or greater
10% or more of the time. Frequencies increase southerly
to a maximum of 50% west of 110°W and south of 50°S.
APRIL