Published 14 October 2026 · Source-linked research prepared with AI assistance. Proposed services require an agreed scope and qualified delivery team.
Use the existing observing network first
Map NOAA PORTS stations, airport weather observations, terminal instruments and other permitted data sources before proposing new hardware. Document who maintains each source and what variable it measures. The first useful finding may be that an existing observation is poorly integrated into the operating workflow, rather than that another sensor is needed.
Respect the geometry of fog
NOAA’s Galveston Bay visibility advisory explains that readings describe the sensor location and may not detect fog banks farther away. A narrow channel, open water, warm shore infrastructure and terrain can create different conditions. A point reading should not become an unsupported whole-channel visibility label.
Define an independent comparison
For a proposed instrument, specify the reference method, observation period, siting, calibration records and permitted differences. Preserve outages and maintenance conditions. If a study examines local fog mitigation, measure visibility directly under a pre-agreed comparator and account for airflow and natural variability. Collected water alone is not evidence of improved navigation visibility.
Keep the operational authority clear
A research observation can inform a review; it does not authorize a vessel movement. Involve the harbor master, pilots, terminal operations and the responsible engineering team in defining the decision and the evidence needed. Weatherhill’s current offer is measurement planning and readiness evidence, with fog intervention retained as a separate research track.
Sources & further reading
- NOAA PORTS: Keeping Maritime Commerce Moving ↗Existing public-private observations program includes visibility; tailored to local sponsors.
- NOAA Galveston Bay visibility observations advisory ↗Point visibility cannot establish region-wide conditions; patchy or distant fog may be missed.
- Senate Commerce: FOG Forecasting Act introduction ↗Fog problem and proposed observations/modeling; contains unsubstantiated $100M/hour assertion.