Marine Climatology

Pilot Charts are an excellent choice for information on prevailing atmospheric winds and oceanic currents, atmospheric and sea surface temperature, wave heights, ice limits, visibility, barometric pressure, and weather conditions for the 12 months of the year. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency provides 5 volumes of these charts.

The mariner should also be aware that there are commercially available up-to-date pilot charts of all oceans of the world that include approximate extent of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), the most common tracks of tropical storms as well as the mean location of hemispheric high pressure centers.

Click here to access the NGA Pilot Charts.