Press Releases
NEWS: NEW WEATHER BUOY HELPS PROTECT BROOKLYN BOATERS FROM STORMY, ROUGH WATERS
New York City – Brooklyn boaters who were blocked from accessing critical weather information for months can now obtain improved data and safely navigate New York waters, Representative Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn and Queens) announced today. The newly deployed weather system near the Ambrose Channel now provides hourly updates of wave height and direction – essential info to protect boaters from hazardous weather conditions.
For over forty years, many Brooklyn boaters and fisherman relied solely on the weather station at Ambrose Light, a 76-foot tower which marks the entrance to the New York harbor. Boaters were able to access warnings and marine forecasts, including wind direction, water temperature, and tides from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Weather Radio. This data, not found anywhere else, helped small craft boaters determine whether or not to cancel or reschedule trips due to bad weather conditions.
When a tanker hit the Ambrose Light a year ago, the U.S. Coast Guard decided to shut down the tower due to severe damage, which included the weather station. With no plans to restore the weather station, members of Sheepshead Bay's Miramar Yacht Club sought Weiner for help this past summer.
After reaching out to the NOAA in early fall, Weiner recently helped secure a weather buoy six miles southeast of where the Ambrose Tower once stood. The weather buoy’s solar powered data system not only provides all the data that Brooklyn boaters had previously accessed, but also provides new updates of tidal wave height and direction that are critical for making accurate forecasts and obtaining alerts.
Rep. Weiner said, “I want New Yorkers to use our wonderful waters, but to do so safely. It is critical that boaters and fisherman have up-to-date weather information to protect them from dangerous tides. For small craft boaters, weather forecasts are more than just helpful tips, they also save lives.”
