USCG Meteorology Practice Exam 2025 – The All-in-One Study Resource for Exam Success!

To determine if your vessel's position is in the dangerous or navigable semicircle of a hurricane, observing whether the wind is veering or backing is crucial. In a hurricane, the winds on the right side of the storm (when facing the storm) will tend to veer, while the winds on the left side will back. This wind behavior provides valuable information about your relative position to the center of the storm and helps identify if you're in a more dangerous area where winds are stronger and more destructive.

Plotting two or more recent storm positions from weather bulletins assists in understanding the movement and trajectory of the hurricane, allowing for timely adjustments to your course or navigating safely away from the storm's path.

Since both methods—analyzing wind behavior and tracking storm positions—are critical for assessing the hurricane's impact on your vessel's position, the correct response encompasses both aspects. This combination offers a comprehensive approach to evaluating safety in relation to a hurricane's semicircles.