An Overview of National Data Buoy Center Products and Activities

NDBC, a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) since it was formed, and NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS) since 1984, has operated moored buoy stations for nearly 30 years. From primarily a test and development center, NDBC had become operations oriented by the mid-1980's with an important niche in NWS marine forecast verification and in the short-term warning/advisory decision process. However, an important engineering function remains that permits technology development and application for NWS and other groups requiring automated environmental monitoring systems. This paper presents an overview of current NDBC activities and discusses its on-going technology development efforts.