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Weather buoy off Hudson coast could be yanked
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Published: March 11, 2009
NEW PORT RICHEY - A buoy weather monitor in the gulf near Pasco could shut down because of budget cuts, possibly before the end of the hurricane season.
Buoy C14 sits about 30 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico, off the Hudson coast as part of a network of 12 buoys maintained by the University of South Florida.
The possible loss of that weather observation outpost would have the "biggest impact" on Pasco, according to James Martin, the county's emergency management director.
Three shoreline weather stations, in Aripeka, Port Richey and Anclote, are part of the system, too.
The university has lost $1 million in federal funds to maintain the network, so some of the buoys could be removed, Martin learned.
Money comes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
He has received assurances, Martin said, the buoys would probably remain in operation for at least the next six months. He hopes the weather stations will remain active through at least the end of 2009.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 until November 30.
"It gives a little more advance warning of what's going on," Martin commented about the role of the buoy in the gulf in monitoring potentially severe weather.
"It's a tool in the toolbox which has served us well" since it was installed in April 2002, Martin added.
The public also can access the real-time wind, air temperature and pressure data online at http://comps1.marine.usf.edu/C14/index.shtml.
The county would have to find alternate sources of information if the USF network of buoys goes away, Martin observed.
NOAA has other buoys more than twice as far out into the gulf.
The county could find some "workarounds," although they probably would be less accurate, Martin said.
Carl Orth can be reached at 727-815-1068 or corth@suncoastnews.com.
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