METAREAs forecast and warning program: chapter 1

1.0 Introduction

In July 2010 the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced the establishment of five new Arctic METAREAs as part of the expansion of the World-Wide Navigational Warning Service (WWNWS) into Arctic waters.  METAREAs are geographical sea regions defined for the purpose of coordinating the transmission of meteorological Maritime Safety Information (met MSI), in the form of marine weather forecasts & warnings, to mariners navigating international and territorial waters.

As a participating member state of the IMO, Canada agreed to act as the Issuing Service for the provision of met MSI to two of these new METAREAs, METAREA XVII & XVIII, as requested by the IMO.

The Government of Canada subsequently designated Environment Canada (EC) with the responsibility of delivering the METAREA Marine Forecast & Warning Program as per the relevant international standards. The Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC) is the branch within EC that has the unique expertise to provide such a service, thus the MSC was given the mandate to establish a marine forecast & warning program for METAREAs XVII & XVIII.

This document outlines the Service Standards for the provision by the MSC of a Marine Forecast and Warning Program to METAREAs XVII and XVIII.