Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

mahatmakanejeeves

(60,780 posts)
Tue Mar 12, 2024, 12:01 PM Mar 2024

NOAA's Dial-A-Buoy to hang up after 27 years on the line with boaters

Arrrrrrrrrrrr.

NOAA’s Dial-A-Buoy to hang up after 27 years on the line with boaters

The phone service has offered potentially life-saving coastal weather and water information to both mariners and surfers

By Dan Stillman
March 12, 2024 at 12:19 p.m. EDT



A buoy from NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System. (NOAA)

It’s the last call for Dial-A-Buoy, a longtime phone service that has provided hundreds of thousands of callers with potentially lifesaving coastal weather and water information.

The toll-free system, launched by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 1997 as a resource for those away from a computer or the internet, will be retired as of Sunday “due to the low volume of users and the cost to retain the service,” the agency announced earlier this year.

{snip}

Dial-A-Buoy outlasted many local weather lines, Sports Phone and even Moviefone but knows its time has come. After dialing 888-701-8992 or 301-713-9620, callers are immediately greeted with a terse goodbye: “Please be aware this service will be discontinued after March 16th, 2024.”

{snip}

We’ve always known how to quit Dial-A-Buoy: Simply hang up. Soon, we’ll learn how it feels when Dial-A-Buoy quits on us.

By Dan Stillman
Dan Stillman is a meteorologist and editor for the Capital Weather Gang. He earned an M.S. in Meteorology from Texas A&M University, and a B.S. in Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences from the University of Michigan. Twitter https://twitter.com/stillmand
2 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
NOAA's Dial-A-Buoy to hang up after 27 years on the line with boaters (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves Mar 2024 OP
So what's the alternative to boaters and surfers? brush Mar 2024 #1
Walk the plank. mahatmakanejeeves Mar 2024 #2

brush

(57,402 posts)
1. So what's the alternative to boaters and surfers?
Tue Mar 12, 2024, 12:38 PM
Mar 2024

Is there a cell number to call to get the same info?

The weather channel? Is there an overall weather resource that boaters/surfers go to?

Latest Discussions»Culture Forums»Weather Watchers»NOAA's Dial-A-Buoy to han...