BML Revision: Meteorology (Section 2)

Revision card 2 of 12 — Boatmaster's Licence, Tier 1 Level 1 Underpinning Knowledge, MSN 1853 Annex 9.

What You Need to Know

• The weather services available to shipping — know what's out there before you need it, not during a passage
• Meteorological terms in enough depth to actually interpret conditions, not just recite definitions
• Types of cloud, cloud cover and precipitation
• Visibility, including horizontal visibility — define it precisely
• How to make non-instrumental observations (reading the sky and sea state without instruments)
• How to recognise and respond to an extreme weather forecast or rapidly emerging conditions

Quick Self-Check

• Can you define horizontal visibility without checking a book?
• What non-instrumental signs indicate deteriorating weather?
• Where do you get an official weather service update before getting underway?