Noise Reduction Emissions Reduction General Aviation Security Technology Transfer Ceiling and Visibility Marine stratus is the trapped cool and humid air from sea breezes. During these events, the airport cannot use independent parallel approaches and it must impose delay programs to regulate arrivals. SFO has the highest number of imposed delay programs of airports in the United States.
Marine stratus is also a problem at other major coastal airports.
Operational analysis shows that most of the unnecessary delay and a significant portion of the holding could be eliminated if the TMU were provided with accurate one-hour forecasts of the times of onset and burnoff of marine stratus. The approach taken is to improve the forecasting capability of the CWSU by providing additional weather information that scientists have identified as critical for better forecasts and also to provide an automated forecast guidance system. Although FAA efforts to date have concentrated on specific airports that suffer air traffic delays from reduced ceiling and visibility, there is also significant impact at the national level. Studies to date show that although the greatest benefit is from accurate 1-4 hour forecast products, improvement in underlying technologies may also lead to improved skill in forecasts of up to 12 hours. Beginning in FY01, AWRP is pursuing capabilities for forecast products to alleviate the impact of low ceiling and poor visibility across the National Airspace System.