The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1957-08-16
NEW SYSTEM TO
WARN BOATMEN
is ANNOUNCED
Coastal Warning Displays to
Change on January |. 1853.
Uses Four Flags

A new system of Coastal Warn
ing Displays, to take effect Janu-
airy 1, 1868, has ezen announced by
the Weather Bureau, Department
of Commerce. For many years.
whenever winds dangerous to nav
igation have been forecast by the
Weather Bureau, storm warnings
have been displayed along the
coasts of the United States, the
Great Lakes, the Hawaiian Is
lands, 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 Warning 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
used in 1866 will be continued.
Major difference between the
old and the new visual warning
display systems are:
~ The substitution of a single
non-directional "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 a 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 whole gale"
warnings. Under the old system
the same signal was used for both
whole gales" and Hurricanes"
The Weather Bureau points out
that these visual storm warning
signals displayed along the coasts
are supplementary to, and not a
replacement for, the written adj
visories and warnings which are
given prompt and wide distribu-
ton 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 direc-
ton of storms cannot be given
satisfactorily through visual sig
nails alone.
This new system of coastal
warning display signals was
adopted after months of prepare
tory work and consultations with
marine groups, yacht clubs, ship
ping agencies and other coastal in
terests especially concerned in
providing for the maximum pro-
lection Of life and property from
storms.
The following display. signals
will take effect on January 1,
1858:
Small Craft Warning: one red
pennant displayed by day and a
red light above a white light at
night to indicate winds up to SO
miles an hour (33 knots) and/or
sea conditions dangerous to small
craft operations are forecast for
the area.
Gale Warning: two red pennants
displayed by day and white light
above a red light at night to indi-
cate winds ranging from 80 to "a
miles an hour ga to AZ knots) are
forecast for the area.
Whole Gale Warning: A single
square red flag with black CEN
ter displayed during daytime and
two red lights at night to indicate
winds ranging from IS to 70 miles
an hour (48 to So knots) are fore
cast for the area.
Hurricane Warning: Two square
red flags with black centers dis
played by day and a white light
between two red lights at night
to indicate that winds "a miles an
$780,.