Providing marine weather information
Our guidelines provide a best practice framework for the delivery of weather information by providers of very high frequency (VHF) radio broadcasts.
VHF services and monitoring are provided by a network of marine radio bases around the Australian coastline.
Timely and clear marine weather information is essential to help boaters and other marine users stay safe at sea.
Our guidelines:
- provide national consistency for marine weather broadcasts on VHF radio
- prioritise safety information
- ensure VHF broadcasts meets the needs of users, while taking the least amount of airtime
- promote marine radio broadcasts as a key part of voyage planning and monitoring.
Where to get your weather data
The Bureau's weather forecasts and warnings are the official source of information for marine radio broadcasts. This ensures consistent information is provided.
For the latest severe weather and coastal hazard warnings, visit Warnings and alerts.
Find forecasts for weather, wind, waves and more on our Forecasts and observations page.
Our forecasts and warnings are also available by email subscription. Audio files are available for automated broadcasts – to request access, contact us.
Guidelines for broadcasting over VHF radio
The broadcasting of marine weather information is an essential part of the maritime safety information service.
Maritime safety information includes navigational safety warnings, weather forecasts and warnings.
Our guidelines cover:
- broadcast message priority
- message detail priority
- style and content
- scheduling and user requirements.
We've included examples for specific broadcasts and procedures to help you.
Broadcast message priority
There are 4 types of marine weather messages.
- Critical events – urgent and essential.
- Core messages – non-urgent and essential.
- Advice messages – desirable.
- Educational messages – optional.
Each type of broadcast message has key details to include.
Message detail priority
Broadcast the key details within each type of message in this order:
Critical events – urgent and essential
Critical weather information is urgent and essential to broadcast. Include:
- safety-related messages and warnings – for example, marine wind warnings
- the areas and locations affected.
Core messages – non-urgent and essential
Core messages are non-urgent but contain essential information. This includes:
- the marine area forecast
- a brief summary of conditions
- current wind observations in knots
- volunteer marine radio (VMR) station identification.
Advice messages – desirable
Include general weather advice messages where relevant, such as:
- localised marine forecasts
- forecasts for neighbouring coastal waters areas
- high and low tide times
- UV forecasts
- non-weather-related but important announcements such as ocean bar conditions.
Educational messages – optional
Include educational messages where relevant, such as:
- the 5 vital weather safety checks for boating
- upcoming local marine safety awareness activities. For example, boating safety days or safety equipment demonstrations.
Message style and content
To begin the broadcast, say:
'Please be aware – wind and wave forecasts are averages. Wind gusts can be 40% stronger than the forecast, stronger still in squalls and thunderstorms. Maximum waves can be twice the forecast height.'
Continue the message and focus on:
- the local area
- recent weather (past half hour) and the forecast for the next 24 hours (not 7 days)
- relevant weather conditions not other forecast information, such as aviation forecasts or advertisements.
Include:
- the issue time of messages when relevant. For example, when certain wind speeds were observed, or when a storm is anticipated to pass, or the next warning is expected to be updated and available. Issue times are not needed when referring to a routine forecast
- information for all parts of your broadcast service area. If your broadcast area overlaps state or territory borders, include information for both.
Be concise, use complete sentences and use:
- the word 'you' when referring to listeners
- local time
- past or future tense
- summaries of tabular data, except if precise listings are necessary or preferred by listeners.
Do not use:
- acronyms – say 'search and rescue', not 'SAR'
- technical terms – say 'wind flow' not 'katabatic'
- slang – say 'observations' not 'obs'
- offensive language.
Message scheduling and user requirements
Design a broadcast schedule to get relevant information to marine users when they need it. For example:
Early morning
- Boaters are preparing their vessels and heading out to sea early in the morning.
- This is a peak time to listen to marine radio broadcasts.
- Boaters are focused on the conditions for the early morning and afternoon when they are likely to return to port.
Late afternoon
- Boaters are focused on returning to port and their journey home.
- Boaters may be venturing out for fishing overnight, planning to return later in the evening or the next morning.
When scheduling broadcasts and message information, decide:
- how many days of the forecast period to read out during morning and afternoon
- how often and when to read out weather and wind warnings.
Keep broadcasts as short as possible and flexible enough to provide more information if requested. If an extended 4-day forecast outlook is needed, provide it on request.
Broadcast warnings when issued. If a Marine Wind Warning or Hazardous Surf Warning is current, we update the warnings and forecast every 6 hours.
We issue forecasts between 4–5 am and 4–5 pm local time.
Between these times, state that the forecast and warnings can be broadcast on request.
Guidelines for specific types of broadcasts
Manual broadcasts
- Adapt the script to suit the severity of the situation based on local knowledge and experience.
- Limit background noise.
Automated broadcasts
- Text to be converted to speech requires full sentences, correct spelling, and effective punctuation to ensure clear communication.
- Automated broadcasts are fixed. This limits the ability to intervene, adapt for different types of weather severity, or provide urgent content.
Other weather warnings
Advise vessel operators of other weather warnings issued by the Bureau if relevant. For example, Severe Weather or Thunderstorm Warnings.
Advise the vessel operator that:
'There is currently a [name the type of weather warning] in force, further details are available on request'.
This helps the vessel operator decide if the warning may impact the area they're operating in and seek more information.
Observation information
Observation data helps mariners understand the current conditions, including:
- wind speed and direction in knots
- sea state and swell
- visibility in nautical miles
- tidal predictions
- air temperature
- cloud cover.
Include the weather station location and issue time for context.
Bar crossings
If a vessel requests information about bar conditions to check if the bar is safe to cross, reply with:
'Based on current Bureau of Meteorology information, the seas are forecast as [insert] and the swell as [insert].
The next tide is [insert high/low] of [insert height] at [insert time].
[Include detail of any current Bureau issued Hazardous Surf Warning for the area if in New South Wales or Queensland].
Observed conditions on the bar… [if visible].
Prior to crossing, you should stand off and observe conditions and make your own assessment of risk prior to proceeding. Extreme caution is always advised when crossing a bar'.
If you have a clear visual of the full bar area and understand local bar conditions, you can provide additional 'observed' condition information. Include any observed conditions after the general conditions and any warnings.