1. Instructors: George Crowl
ORD-13
Ordinary
Weather
This PowerPoint is provided for those who may not have appropriate training aids available in a ship or location. This generally follows a companion lesson plan available at I expect you to modify it to fit your situation and teaching style. I am more concerned that Scouts learn than this fit a specific style. I am, however, a fan of the Effective Teaching model. Teaching EDGE is somewhat simplistic in its approach, but that has some advantages.
Note: These lesson plans may also be used for teaching in the ship. For administrative convenience, they cover the entire specific numbered requirement (except one, where Galley is covered separately!). Individual Sea Scout Academy lessons may only cover part of the requirements. Similarly, ships may find that even just a portion of a subrequirement is all that can be done during a particular ship meeting. Adapt these lessons as needed to fit your youth and your situation. Share these plans with your youth who are teaching.
Philosophy: Sea Scout Academy’s primary purpose is to teach the material to the Sea Scout. If the Sea Scout demonstrates mastery of parts of the subject, then the instructor should annotate on the class roster what has been passed, in the instructor’s opinion. Skippers have the right to re-examine any Sea Scout in any requirement. (Knots are not a good subject to give a pass in.) SSA may schedule only portions of ORD-8.
Instructors: George Crowl

2. ORD-13
Read and understand a local weather bulletin. Know how to obtain current marine and weather reports from the National Weather Service in your area by telephone, radio, or online. D

3. Local Weather Bulletin
The traditional typed weather bulletin is no longer available
A local forecast is available from nws.noaa.gov by entering city and state or ZIP code
It provides current conditions and a week's forecast
That page offers an option to select the marine forecast
is one source for a written weather bulletin. is a source for a telephone number for a telephone weather bulletin. Both are the basic site, you have to customize for the area you are concerned about. Your VHF radio weather channels are your easiest sources for the weather forecast, just turn them on and punch the button. Find the channel with the clearest reception that covers your area of interest.
Most weather forcasting is in plain language, but if you do not understand some portion of it, ask an experienced mariner or weatherman to interpret for you.

4. Telephone Forecasts
is the web page to determine your local phone number for telephone weather forecasts
For Houston / Galveston, the phone number is
Select marine weather forecast A

5. Radio
Marine VHF radios have weather channels specifically identified and selectable
One particular channel may be better reception or provide better coverage of the area you are interested in.
The forecast is repeated at regular intervals. It may take several minutes to get to your area of interest A

6. Internet Go to www.nws.noaa.gov
Select the area of interest by clicking, such as Houston/Galveston
That will give you current observations and the opportunity to click on such functions as radar, satellite, weather map, and marine
Other companies, such as weather.com and weather underground also have good sites A

7. Questions? R