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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...PART 1 OF 2
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
1045 AM EDT WED SEP 24 1997
TO FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/ SUBSCRIBERS...NOAA WEATHER
WIRE SERVICE /NWWS/ SUBSCRIBERS...OTHER NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ CUSTOMERS...NWS EMPLOYEES
FROM THERESE PIERCE...CHIEF...HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL SERVICES
SUBJECT RECONFIGURATION OF COASTAL MARINE FORECAST ZONES ALONG
THE GULF OF MEXICO.. EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 2 1997
THE NWS WILL RECONFIGURE COASTAL MARINE FORECAST ZONES ALONG THE
GULF OF MEXICO ON DECEMBER 2 1997...AT 1300 UNIVERSAL COORDINATED
TIME /UTC/. THESE RECONFIGURATIONS WILL PROVIDE MARINE WEATHER
FORECASTERS THE ABILITY TO ISSUE MORE SITE-SPECIFIC FORECASTS TO
USERS BY AFFORDING NEEDED FLEXIBILITY TO GROUP NEW SMALLER ZONES
TOGETHER OR SEPARATE THEM TO MORE ACCURATELY HIGHLIGHT ONGOING
AND PREDICTED WEATHER.
TABLE 1 LISTS THE PRODUCT CATEGORIES AFFECTED. TABLE 2 IS A LIST
OF THE NEW ZONES. MARINE FORECAST ZONES ARE DEFINED BY
RECOGNIZABLE GEOGRAPHIC LANDMARKS (COASTAL CITIES...CAPES...
POINTS...ETC.) AND EXTEND UP TO 60 NAUTICAL MILES /NM/ OFFSHORE.
MARINE FORECAST ZONE IDENTIFIERS FOLLOW THE UNIVERSAL GEOGRAPHIC
CODE /UGC/ CONVENTION SSZNNN WHERE SS IN THESE CASES IS AN
OCEAN AREA AND NNN IS THE ZONE /Z/ NUMBER...WHICH IS DETERMINED
AS FOLLOWS
LEFT N = ISSUING NWS OFFICE FOR WARNINGS
MIDDLE N = TYPE OF BODY OF WATER
RIGHT N = ZONE NUMBER SEQUENCE...INCREASING FROM
NORTH TO SOUTH AND WEST TO EAST.
OTHER PRODUCTS ISSUED /NOT JUST COASTAL WATERS FORECASTS/ WILL BE
AFFECTED BY ZONE RECONFIGURATIONS. THIS IS BECAUSE THE Z FORM OF
THE UGC USED IN CERTAIN PRODUCTS WILL CONTAIN THE NEW ZONE
NUMBERS TO FURTHER IDENTIFY SPECIFIC AREAS BY ZONE. THE MARINE
PRODUCTS USING THE Z FORM OF THE UGC ARE LISTED IN TABLE 1 WITH
THEIR NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE /NWWS/ AND FAMILY OF SERVICES
/FOS/ IDENTIFIERS. USERS SELECTING INFORMATION FOR SPECIFIC
ZONES WILL NEED TO THE USE NEW UGCS FOR THE RECONFIGURED ZONES.
THIS INFORMATION UPDATES APPENDICES A AND B OF WEATHER SERVICE
OPERATIONS MANUAL CHAPTER D-51. UPDATED MARINE ZONE MAPS WILL BE
POSTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AT THE FOLLOWING URL /SMALL CASE/
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/MODERNIZE/ST-MAPS/MAPS.HTM
BOTH PARTS OF THIS MESSAGE ARE POSTED ON THE FOLLOWING URL /SMALL
CASE/ HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM
TABLE 1. PRODUCT CATEGORIES AFFECTED BY ZONE RECONFIGURATIONS.
PRODUCT NWWS ID WMO/FOS HEADER+++++
CWF/ COASTAL WATERS FORECAST CCCCWFXXX FZUS6 KXXX
SMW/ SPECIAL MARINE WARNING CCCSMWXXX WMUS1 KXXX OR WMUS01
MWS/ MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT CCCMWSXXX FZUS60 KXXX
TOR/ COMBINED TORNADO/SPECIAL CCCTORXXX WFUS1 KXXX OR WFUS01
MARINE WARNING
SVR/ COMBINED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CCCSVRXXX WUUS1 KXXX OR WUUS01
AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING
PNS/ PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT CCCPNSXXX ABUS34 KXXX
XXX IS THE ISSUING OFFICE
CCC IS THE NWWS SATELLITE UPLINK SITE
+++++ NOTE - WMO/FOS HEADERS WILL BE CHANGED SOMETIME AFTER
DECEMBER 2 1997. THE NWS OFFICE OF SYSTEMS OPERATIONS WILL BE
DECEMBER 2 1997. THE NWS OFFICE OF SYSTEMS OPERATIONS WILL BE
SENDING SPECIAL NOTICES REGARDING SUCH CHANGES. ++++++
TABLE 2. NEW MARINE ZONES EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 2 1997 AT 1300 UTC.
2A. CWF ISSUED BY MIAMI FL XXX=MIA CCC=MIA
SMW MWS TOR SVR PNS ISSUED BY TAMPA BAY AREA FL XXX=TBW CCC=MIA
..UGC.. ..ZONE..
GMZ856- COASTAL WATERS FROM BONITA BEACH TO ENGLEWOOD FL OUT 20
NM
GMZ876- WATERS FROM BONITA BEACH TO ENGLEWOOD FL EXTENDING
FROM 20 TO 50 NM
GMZ830- TAMPA BAY
GMZ853- COASTAL WATERS FROM ENGLEWOOD TO TARPON SPRINGS FL
OUT 20 NM
GMZ873- WATERS FROM ENGLEWOOD TO TARPON SPRINGS FL...EXTENDING
20 TO 50 NM
GMZ850- COASTAL WATERS FROM TARPON SPRINGS TO SUWANNEE RIVER...
FL OUT 20 NM
GMZ870- WATERS FROM TARPON SPRINGS TO SUWANNEE RIVER FL
EXTENDING FROM 20 TO 50 NM
GMZ890- OUTLOOK FOR BONITA BEACH TO SUWANNEE RIVER FL OUT 50 NM
2B. CWF ISSUED BY MIAMI FL XXX=MIA CCC=MIA
SMW MWS TOR SVR PNS ISSUED BY TALLAHASSEE FL XXX=TLH CCC=MIA
GMZ755- COASTAL WATERS FROM SUWANNEE RIVER TO APALACHICOLA
FL OUT 20 NM
GMZ775- WATERS FROM SUWANNEE RIVER TO APALACHICOLA FL
EXTENDING FROM 20 NM TO 50 NM
GMZ790- OUTLOOK FOR SUWANNEE RIVER TO APALACHICOLA FL OUT 50 NM
2C. CWF ISSUED BY NEW ORLEANS LA XXX=NEW CCC=NEW
SMW MWS TOR SVR PNS ISSUED BY TALLAHASSEE FL XXX=TLH CCC=MIA
GMZ750- COASTAL WATERS FROM APALACHICOLA TO DESTIN FL OUT 20 NM
GMZ770- WATERS FROM APALACHICOLA TO DESTIN FL EXTENDING FROM
20 TO 50 NM
GMZ791- OUTLOOK FOR APALACHICOLA TO DESTIN FL OUT 50 NM