// INDUSTRY NEWS
growth and commercial success .
“ This appointment cements the next chapter that we embark on
Marcus Hamilton together ,” said Guy Jacobsen , founder and majority shareholder of Propspeed . “ We believe Marcus is our future leader for delivering successful outcomes for Propspeed .”
Hamilton comes to the position with more than 10 years of experience in the marine industry , working with businesses such as Fusion Entertainment , Garmin NZ and Propspeed International . In those 10 years , Hamilton has held positions of International Marketing Manager , vice president of Sales & Operations Americas , and most recently International Sales & Business Improvement Director for Propspeed International .
“ I am proud to have worked with the sales team and our partners to expand Propspeed ’ s presence worldwide as the leader in protecting underwater assets ,” Hamilton said . “ Propspeed ’ s success has been a result of the high-quality , talented and motivated employees we have , the industry leading products we sell , the partners with whom we have built this business and the passion of our customers and brand . As the new CEO , I am confident that we will not only continue our momentum into the future , but build on our already strong 24-year foundation . I am honored to be selected by the board of directors to lead this incredible team and I look forward to driving growth and success in the years ahead .”
NOAA predicts near-normal 2023 hurricane season
NOAA forecasters with the Climate Prediction Center , a division of the National Weather Service , predict near-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic this year . NOAA ’ s outlook for the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season , which goes from June 1 to November 30 , predicts a 40 % chance of a near-normal season , a 30 % chance of an above-normal season and a 30 % chance of a below-normal season .
NOAA is forecasting a range of 12-17 total named storms ( winds of 39 mph or higher ). Of those , 5-9 could become hurricanes ( winds of 74 mph or higher ), including 1-4 major hurricanes ( category 3 , 4 or 5 ; with winds of 111 mph or higher ). NOAA has a 70 percent confidence in these ranges .
“ Thanks to the Commerce Department and NOAA ’ s critical investments this year in scientific and technological advancements in hurricane modeling , NOAA will be able to deliver even more accurate forecasts , helping ensure communities have the information they need to prepare for and respond to the destructive economic and ecological impacts of Atlantic hurricanes ,” said Gina M . Raimondo , secretary of commerce .
The upcoming Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be less active than recent years , due to competing factors ― some that suppress storm development and some that fuel it ― driving this year ’ s overall forecast for a near-normal season .
After three hurricane seasons with La Niña present , NOAA scientists predict a high potential for El Nino to develop this summer , which can suppress Atlantic hurricane activity . El Niño ’ s potential influence on storm development could be offset by favorable conditions local to the tropical Atlantic Basin . Those conditions include the potential for an above-normal west African monsoon , which produces African easterly waves and seeds some of the stronger and longer-lived Atlantic storms , and warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea which creates more energy to fuel storm development . These factors are part of the longer term variability in Atlantic atmospheric and oceanic conditions that are conducive to hurricane development – known as the high-activity era for Atlantic hurricanes – which have been producing more active Atlantic hurricane seasons since 1995 . “ With a changing climate , the data and expertise NOAA provides to emergency managers and partners to support decision-making before , during and after a hurricane has never been more crucial ,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad , Ph . D . “ To that end , this year we are operationalizing a new hurricane forecast model and extending the tropical cyclone outlook graphic from five to seven days , which will provide emergency managers and communities with more time to prepare for storms .”
This summer , NOAA will implement a series of upgrades and improvements . NOAA will expand the capacity of its operational supercomputing system by 20 percent . This increase in computing capability will enable NOAA to improve and run more complex forecast models , including significant model upgrades this hurricane season :
In late June , the Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System ( HAFS ) will become operational . HAFS will run this season in tandem with the currently operational Hurricane Weather Research and Forecast Model System and Hurricanes in a Multi-scale Ocean-coupled Non-hydrostatic model , but eventually will become NOAA ’ s primary hurricane model . Retrospective analysis of tropical storms and hurricanes from the 2020-2022 seasons show that this model has a 10-15 % improvement in track forecasts over existing operational models . This new model was jointly created by NOAA ’ s Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory Hurricane Modeling and Prediction Program and NOAA ’ s National Weather Service Environmental Modeling Center .
The Probabilistic Storm Surge model upgrade on May 2 advances storm surge forecasting for the contiguous U . S . and new forecasts for surge , tide and waves for Puerto Rico and the U . S . Virgin Islands . Forecasters now have the ability to run the model for two storms simultaneously . This model provides forecasters with the likelihood , or probability , of various flooding scenarios , including a near worst-case scenario to help communities prepare for all potential outcomes .
Additional upgrades or new tools for hurricane analysis and forecasting include :
The National Hurricane Center ’ s Tropical Weather Outlook graphic , which shows tropical cyclone formation potential , has expanded the forecast range from five to seven days .
Over the last 10 years , flooding from tropical storm rainfall was the single deadliest hazard . To give communities more time to prepare , the Weather Prediction Center is extending the Excessive Rainfall Outlook an additional two days , now providing forecasts up to five days in advance . The outlook shows general areas at risk for flash flooding due to excessive rainfall .
The National Weather Service will unveil a new generation of forecast flood inundation mapping for portions of Texas and portions of the
10 june 2023 www . boatingindustry . com