SEAKEYS/C-MAN Bulletins and Historical Data

NOAA and the Florida Institute of Oceanography (FIO) are supplying daily and historical enhanced C-MAN data via the SEAKEYS program and this Web Page. These data are also supplied daily via e-mail to interested researchers.

To learn more about the SEAKEYS program, please click here.

Please see this important note regarding SEAKEYS/C-MAN data!

SEAKEYS/C-MAN Bulletins
from the Florida Straits

Last 72 hours worth (usually), beginning early this morning (EST):

• Fowey Rocks
• Molasses Reef
• Long Key
• Sombrero Key
• Sand Key
• Dry Tortugas

Hourly reports (from about 6:30am through 6:30pm EST only), available on the half-hour:

• Fowey Rocks
• Molasses Reef
• Long Key
• Sombrero Key
• Sand Key
• Dry Tortugas

Reports from the Northwest Florida Bay Station

• Data format
• Most recent hourly data
• Accumulated monthly data (e.g., nfbYYMM.asc, where YY is the year, and MM is the month).
• COMPS Station printout for NW Florida bay
• PLEASE READ THIS DISCLAIMER!

FIO field technician Jon Fajans is primarily responsible for maintenance of the SEAKEYS/C-MAN stations in the Florida Straits.

The Beaufort Scale was devised as a means to predict wave height when wind speeds continue with a sustained speed and come from a sustained direction for a period of time. Below are provisional wave height predictions, based on expert system predictions, for Fowey Rocks, Sombrero Key, and Dry Tortugas, when conditions are warrented for predictability. Other special storm conditions may be reported, especially drops in barometric pressure at the stations.

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THESE REPORTS ARE PRELIMINARY EXPERIMENTAL PREDICTIONS AND SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR A NAVIGATION PUPOSES!

Storm & Seas Reports (updated daily from around 6:45am to 6:45pm)

Fowey Rocks
Sombrero Key
Dry Tortugas

Historical SEAKEYS/C-MAN Data

There are two kinds of SEAKEYS/C-MAN data presented here. The basic National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) C-MAN instrument package generally monitors meteorological data, such as wind speed and direction, air temperature and barometric pressure; but sea temperature is also measured when possible, at 1 meter deep.

The Florida Institute of Oceanography has enhanced the NDBC stations with more oceanographic instrumentation under funding for their SEAKEYS project. We call these "enhanced" SEAKEYS/C-MAN stations. Parameters measured vary with the station, but a full suite of instumentation includes measurements for sea temperature at 1 meter and 3 meters, salinity, and Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) at 1 meter and 3 meters. When viewing the header description file for the data files, "ZRAD" pertains to the PAR measurements.

Following are the station locations:

Not all stations are present in the data files below.

For more information on SEAKEYS/C-MAN data collection in the Keys, please contact Chris Humphrey.

Basic NDBC C-MAN data:

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995

Other basic NDBC C-MAN data:

Alligator Reef, Florida Keys (24 50.74 N, 80 37.34 W)

• Feb 1, 1985 to Dec 4, 1987.

Molasses Reef, Florida Keys (25.01 N, 80.38 W)

• Dec 4, 1987 to Dec 31, 1987.
• Jan 1, 1988 to May 31, 1988.
• Jun 1, 1988 to Dec 31, 1988.
• Jan 1, 1989 to Jun 30, 1989.
• Jul 1, 1989 to Dec 31, 1989.
• Jan 1, 1990 to Mar 31, 1990.
• Apr 1, 1990 to Dec 31, 1990.
• Jan 1, 1991 to Feb 28, 1991.

Sombrero Reef, Florida Keys (24.63 N, 81.11 W)

• Feb 9, 1988 to Feb 28, 1991.

Enhanced SEAKEYS/C-MAN data:

SEAKEYS Data Server

Older Format

• 1991
• 1992
• 1993
• 1994
• 1995
• 1996

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