 Weather buoys are instruments which collect weather and ocean data within the world 's oceans , as well as aid during emergency response to chemical spills , legal proceedings , and engineering design . Moored buoys have been in use since 1951 , while drifting buoys have been used since 1979 . Moored buoys are connected with the ocean bottom using either chains , nylon , or buoyant polypropylene . With the decline of the weather ship , they have taken a more primary role in measuring conditions over the open seas since the 1970s . During the 1980s and 1990s , a network of buoys in the central and eastern tropical Pacific ocean helped study the El Niño @-@ Southern Oscillation . Moored weather buoys range from 1 @.@ 5 metres ( 4 @.@ 9 ft ) to 12 metres ( 39 ft ) in diameter , while drifting buoys are smaller , with diameters of 30 centimetres ( 12 in ) to 40 centimetres ( 16 in ) . Drifting buoys are the dominant form of weather buoy in sheer number , with 1250 located worldwide . Wind data from buoys has smaller error than that from ships . There are differences in the values of sea surface temperature measurements between the two platforms as well , relating to the depth of the measurement and whether or not the water is heated by the ship which measures the quantity . 
 Weather buoys <a href='drop_aux' title='1'><mark>are</mark></a>instruments which collect weather and ocean data within the world <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>oceans , as well as aid during emergency response to chemical spills , legal proceedings , and engineering design . Moored buoys have been in use since 1951 , while drifting buoys <a href='been_done' title='3'><mark>have</mark></a> been used since 1979 . Moored buoys are connected with the ocean bottom using either chains , nylon , or buoyant polypropylene . With the decline of the weather ship , they <a href='been_done' title='4'><mark>have</mark></a> taken a more primary role in measuring conditions over the open seas since the 1970s . During the 1980s and 1990s , a network of buoys in the central and eastern tropical Pacific ocean helped study the El Niño @-@ Southern Oscillation . Moored weather buoys range from 1 @.@ 5 metres ( 4 @.@ 9 ft ) to 12 metres ( 39 ft ) in diameter , while drifting buoys <a href='drop_aux' title='5'><mark>are</mark></a>smaller , with diameters of 30 centimetres ( 12 in ) to 40 centimetres ( 16 in ) . Drifting buoys <a href='drop_aux' title='6'><mark>are</mark></a>the dominant form of weather buoy in sheer number , with 1250 located worldwide . Wind data from buoys <a href='got' title='7'><mark>has</mark></a> smaller error than that from ships . <a href='dey_it' title='8'><mark>There</mark></a> are differences in the values of sea surface temperature measurements between the two platforms as well , relating to the depth of the measurement and whether or not the water is heated by the ship which <a href='uninflect' title='9'><mark>measures</mark></a> the quantity . 
Weather buoys instruments which collect weather and ocean data within da world  oceans , as well as aid during emergency response to chemical spills , legal proceedings , and engineering design . Moored buoys have been in use since 1951 , while drifting buoys done been used since 1979 . Moored buoys are connected wid the ocean bottom using either chains , nylon , or buoyant polypropylene . With the decline of tdaweather ship , they done taken a more primary role in measuring conditions ova the open seas since thda970s . durin theda80s and 1990s , a network of buoys in the central and eastern tropical Pacific ocean helped study the El Niño @-@ Southern Oscillation . Moored weather buoys range from 1 @.@ 5 metres ( 4 @.@ 9 ft ) to 12 metres ( 39 ft ) in diameter , while drifting buoys smaller , with diameters of 30 centimetres ( 12 in ) to 40 centimetres ( 16 in ) . Drifting buoys the dainant form of weather buoy in sheer number , with 1250 located worldwide . Wind data from buoys got smaller error den that from ships . It is differences in the values of sea surface temperature measurements between the two platforms as well , relating to the depth of the mdaurement and whether or not the wada is heated by the ship which measure the quadaty .