The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has teamed up with Maritime Safety Queensland to make one of Queenland’s most important waterways safer by improving wind monitoring in Moreton Bay.
As part of the project, BoM has installed the new Hope Bank anemometer to measure wind speed and direction. It will provide information on winds in the eastern Bay, closing a longstanding gap in information between the existing Banana Bank and Inner Beacon weather stations.
The Hope Bank anemometer is one of two new observing systems installed in Moreton Bay in recent months, after BoM replaced a wind monitor in the Spitfire Channel with a new unit on the North West 10 beacon in the far north of the Bay.
BoM’s group executive of community services Piero Chessa said the installation of these vital pieces of meteorological hardware was the result of the bureau responding to feedback from the local community.
“These observations will provide real-time wind readings including information on wind gusts. They will also enable meteorologists to better monitor the area, and assist when monitoring marine wind warnings and forecasts, which are critical for people who use the bay and their safety,” he explained.
“As well as recreational boaters and anglers, Moreton Bay is busy with barges, ferries and water-taxi services, all of which will benefit from more comprehensive weather services,” he added.