# North Atlantic Storms Atlas — Maproom Brief

## Theme
A layered cartographic atlas exploring the North Atlantic Ocean, featuring historical storm tracks, major shipping lanes, and atmospheric pressure patterns. The map tells the story of maritime navigation in one of the world's most turbulent ocean regions.

## Geographic Scope
- Primary: North Atlantic Ocean (30°N–70°N, 80°W–20°E)
- Key regions: Gulf Stream corridor, North Atlantic gyre, shipping routes between North America and Europe, Caribbean passages

## Layer Stack

### Layer 1: Base Cartography
- Ocean bathymetry with depth contours
- Coastlines of North America, Europe, Caribbean, and Atlantic islands
- Grid lines (latitude/longitude)
- Major port markers

### Layer 2: Atmospheric Pressure Systems
- Semi-permanent Azores High and Icelandic Low
- Pressure isobars showing prevailing circulation patterns
- Seasonal variation indicators

### Layer 3: Historical Storm Tracks
- Categorized by intensity (tropical storms, hurricanes, extratropical cyclones)
- Temporal range: 1851–present, notable storms highlighted
- Color-coded by category/severity
- Interactive tooltips with storm name, date, peak winds, pressure

### Layer 4: Shipping Lanes
- Major commercial routes (transatlantic, Caribbean, Mediterranean connections)
- Convoy routes (historical WWII routes)
- Cruise ship corridors
- Route density visualization

## Interactive Features

### Filters Panel
- Toggle layers on/off individually
- Storm intensity filter (TS, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
- Date range slider for storm history (1851–2024)
- Shipping lane category selector

### Legend
- Symbol key for all map elements
- Color scale for storm intensity
- Route type differentiation

### Annotations & Callouts
- Bermuda Triangle boundary
- "Perfect Storm" location (1991)
- Titanic wreck site
- Fastnet Rock (sailing waypoint)
- Cape Hatteras ("Graveyard of the Atlantic")
- Sable Island ("Graveyard of the Atlantic")
- Major port callouts: New York, Halifax, Southampton, Le Havre

### Navigation
- Pan and zoom with mouse/touch
- Zoom controls (+/-)
- Reset view button
- Minimap for orientation

### Narrative Mode: "The Great Circle Route"
A guided tour following the historic transatlantic shipping lane:
1. New York Harbor departure
2. Northeast Channel entry
3. Gulf Stream crossing
4. Approaching the British Isles
5. Southampton arrival
With storm hazard context at each waypoint.

## Visual Direction
- Color palette: Deep ocean blues (#0a1628, #1a2f4a), storm purples and reds (#8b3a3a, #c44545), shipping route golds (#d4a84b)
- Typography: Clean sans-serif for UI, serif for place labels
- Atmosphere: Nautical charts meets modern data viz—authoritative, historical, slightly weathered
- Dark mode by default with high contrast for readability

## Data Philosophy
Historical accuracy for documented storms and established shipping routes. Storm tracks represent actual recorded paths from NOAA databases. Shipping lanes reflect IMO-designated routes and historical convoy paths.

## Output
Single-file HTML with inline CSS/JS, no external dependencies except mapping library (Leaflet). All data embedded as GeoJSON.