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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 01-30
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
515 PM EDT MON JUL 2 2001
TO: FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/ SUBSCRIBERS...NOAA WEATHER
WIRE SERVICE /NWWS/ SUBSCRIBERS...EMERGENCY MANAGERS
WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK /EMWIN/ SUBSCRIBERS...OTHER
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ CUSTOMERS AND
PARTNERS...NWS EMPLOYEES
FROM: JAMES E. LEE
CHIEF...FIRE AND PUBLIC WEATHER SERVICES BRANCH
SUBJECT: NEW ZONE FORECAST PRODUCT WEATHER SERVICE OPERATION
MANUAL...CHAPTER C-11...EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 5 2001
ON WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 5 2001...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
FORECAST OFFICES WILL IMPLEMENT A MODIFIED WEATHER SERVICE
OPERATIONS MANUAL /WSOM/ CHAPTER C-11...ZONE FORECAST PRODUCT
/ZFP/. THE NEW MANUAL SETS POLICY FOR AN IMPROVED ZFP IN A
MODIFIED FORMAT.
THIS POLICY MANUAL EXTENSIVELY CHANGES THE ZFP. THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
1. THE DAY-THREE FORECAST HAS BEEN BROKEN INTO TWO 12-HOUR
SEGMENTS...RESULTING IN AN ADDITIONAL 24 HOURS OF DETAILED
FORECAST ELEMENTS
2. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION FORECASTS ARE EXTENDED TO 36 HOURS
3. WIND FORECASTS ARE EXTENDED TO 36 HOURS
4. USE OF MID-POPS /40-60 PERCENT/ IN THE FIRST 12 HOURS OF THE
FORECAST FOR NON-CONVECTIVE PRECIPITATION IS DISCOURAGED
5. VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS /FOR EXAMPLE...FOG...BLOWING SNOW...
BLOWING DUST...ETC./ ARE INCLUDED IN THE ZFP WHEN FORECAST
TO BE LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO 1/4 MILE
6. THE FOUR-TO-SEVEN DAY FORECAST SECTION IS BROKEN INTO 24-
HOUR SEGMENTS...VALID 12 MIDNIGHT TO 12 MIDNIGHT /LOCAL/.
THE 7-DAY ZFP WILL CONTINUE TO BE ROUTINELY ISSUED AT LEAST TWICE
DAILY. OTHER ISSUANCES WILL BE ON AN EVENT-DRIVEN BASIS. NO
COMMUNICATIONS CHANGES ARE REQUIRED TO RECEIVE THE IMPROVED ZFP.
A PRELIMINARY COPY OF CHAPTER C-11 APPENDIX A CAN BE FOUND AT THE
FOLLOWING WEB ADDRESS /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/C11.PDF
THE CHAPTER C-11...IN ITS ENTIRETY /INCLUDING APPENDIX A AND
B/...WILL BE AVAILABLE BY JULY 31 2001 FOR DOWNLOAD FROM THE
FOLLOWING WEBSITE...UNDER PART C /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:
HTTP://WSOM.NWS.NOAA.GOV/
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS CHANGE...PLEASE
CONTACT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS OF MY STAFF IN SILVER SPRING
MARYLAND:
DOUG YOUNG AT 301-713-1970 EXT. 113 OR
JANNIE GIBSON 301-713-0462 EXT. 135
THIS NOTICE AND OTHER SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES ARE ON THE INTERNET
AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/
WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM
END
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