The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1957-06-21
NEW SYSTEM or
COASTAL WARNING
SIGNALS SLATED

Cape Hatteras.-A new simpli-
fled system of Coastal Warning
Displays, to take effect January
| /, 1858, has been announced by
the Weather Bureau, Department
of Commerce. For many years,
whenever winds dangerous to nav
ignation have been forecast by
the Weather Bureau, storm warn
ing signals have been displayed
along the coast of the United
States, the Great Lakes, the Ha-
waiian Islands, and Puerto Rico.
Under the new system, only
four separate flag signals will be
used during the day, instead of the.
seven separate flag signals now
employed in the Weather Bureaus
Storm Warming Display System.
During the night only four COM
parable lantern signals will be
used for Small Craft, Gale, Whole
Gale, and Hurricane warnings.
For the remainder of 1857 the
same storm warning signal system
as used in 1856 will be continued.
The major differences between
the old and the new visual warn
ing display systems are:
az The substitution of single
UNCONVENTIONAL 'gale warning"
signal for the four separate direc-
tional "storm warning" signals
that were used to specify north
east, southeast, southwest, or
northwest gales.
(2) the introduction of p new
lantern signal for use during the
night for "small craft warnings"
Under the old system displays for
small craft warnings were used in
the daytime only.
(3) The introduction of a new
and separate signal for "whoIe
gale" warnings. Under the old sys-
/ tenn the same signal was used
for both "whole gales" and hurri-
canes"
The Weather Bureau pointed
out that these visual storm warn
ing signals displayed along the
coasts are supplementary to, and
not a replacement for, the written
advisories and warnings given
prompt and wide distribution by
press, radio, and television. In
most cases, important details of
the Weather Bureaus forecasts
and warnings in regard to the
time, intensity, duration, and dl-
rection of storms, can not be given
satisfactorily through visual sig
nails alone.
The new system of coastal
warning display signals was
adopted after months of prepara-
tory work and consultations with
marine groups, yacht clubs, ship
ping agencies, and other coastal
interests especially concerned IN
providing for the maximum pro-
lection of life and property from
storms.
The explanation of the new dis
play signals that will take effect
on January /, 1858, follows:
SMALL CRAFT WARMING:
One red pennant displayed by day
and a red light above white light
at night to indicate winds up to
3S miles an hour (33 knots) and/
or sea conditions dangerous to
small craft operations are fore
cast.
GALE WARNING: Two red
pennants displayed by day and al
white light above a red light at
night to indicate winds ranging
from 80 to 81 miles an hour ga
to 48 knots) are forecast.
WHOLE GALE WARNING: A
single square red flag with a black
center displayed during daytime
and two red lights at night to in
dictate winds ranging from SIS to
73 miles an hour (48 to GO knots)
are forecast.
HURRICANE WARNING: Two
square red flags with black CEN
tiers displayed by day and a white
light between two red lights at
night to indicate that winds "a
miles an hour (64 knots) and
above are forecast.
Complete explanations of the
old and the new display signals,
illustrated to show the colors and
arranpements of flag and lanterns,
are now being given wide distri-
button by all coastal Weather Bu-