Last modified: 2007-10-20 by rick wyatt
Keywords: united states | storm signals | gale | hurricane |
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image by Rick Wyatt, 6 August 1999
Hurricane Flag
image by Antonio Martins, 15 August 1999
Gale Pennant
See also:
Each U.S. Storm Signal Set consists of 2 Hurricane Flags and 2 Gale Pennants. They are used as follows:
Type | Wind Speed | |
---|---|---|
1 pennant | small craft warning |
up to 38 mph |
2 pennants | gale warning |
39-54 mph |
1 flag | storm/whole gale warning |
55-73 mph |
2 flags | hurricane warning |
74+ mph |
The storm warning flags were formerly used by the U.S. National Weather Service to warn ships and boats of bad weather. Although the NWS discontinued posting flag warnings on 15 February 1989, the announcement of that cessation said "U.S. Coast Guard and other stations may continue to display warning signals without the direct participation of the National Weather Service."
According to a Coast Guard message to all stations on 22 February 2001 (ALCOAST 069/01), some stations did indeed maintain the tradition of displaying these signals as a service to their local communities. The purpose of the message was to provide instructions for the continued use of the warning flags and directed that "Weather flags shall not be displayed by Coast Guard units except as provided for in this message." The guidelines now governing Coast Guard use of the weather flags: