To help prepare for operations at Station ALOHA, it is important to know present sea conditions for the site. Such "nowcast" information is readily available from several sources. Experimental forecast information is also available, and maybe helpful in planning operations.

Nowcast/forecasts from the Hawaii region can be obtained from the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Global Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (NRL 1/12th degree HYCOM).

Nowcast/forecast information is also available from the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) ocean model for temperature, salinity, velocity, and surface height, currents, and model trajectories. This is provided by Brian Powell (UH) through PacIOOS

The NRL Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM) also produces nowcasts of the same parameters as HYCOM on a coarser grid and plotted for a smaller region around Hawaii.

The most recent nowcast of sea surface currents and height from NRL NCOM. (Click image to enlarge)	The most recent forecast of speed and currents near the Hawaiian Islands from NRL HYCOM. (Click image to enlarge)