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NOUS41 KWBC 032129
PNSWSH
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 02-21
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
430 PM EST WED APR 3 2002
TO: FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/ SUBSCRIBERS...NOAA WEATHER
WIRE SERVICE /NWWS/ SUBSCRIBERS...EMERGENCY MANAGERS
WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK /EMWIN/ SUBSCRIBERS...
NOAAPORT SUBSCRIBERS...OTHER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
/NWS/ CUSTOMERS AND PARTNERS...NWS EMPLOYEES
FROM: THERESE PIERCE
CHIEF...MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH
SUBJECT: UPDATED MARINE PROGRAM DIRECTIVES...EFFECTIVE
MAY 21 2002
AN ENTIRELY NEW NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ SET OF MARINE
POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR NWS OFFICES WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE
MAY 21 2002 AT 0000 COORDINATED UNIVERSAL TIME /UTC/. THIS IS
PART OF AN OVERALL NWS EFFORT TO UPDATE AND REORGANIZE NWS
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ACCORDING TO A NEW NWS DIRECTIVES SYSTEM
BY SEPTEMBER 2002. AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE...THE NEW DIRECTIVES
WILL REPLACE AND SUPERCEDE THE CURRENT WEATHER SERVICE OPERATIONS
MANUAL /WSOM/ CHAPTERS. AS THEY ARE APPROVED...THE NEW
DIRECTIVES AND ASSOCIATED PROCEDURES WILL BE POSTED ON THE
INTERNET AT /USE LOWER CASE/:
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/DIRECTIVES/INDEX.HTM
THE NEW MARINE DIRECTIVE AND ASSOCIATED PROCEDURES DESCRIBED
BELOW ARE NOW AVAILABLE ON THE WEB PAGE SHOWN ABOVE...BY CLICKING
ON "10 - OPERATIONS AND SERVICES".
THE MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH HAS COMBINED INFORMATION
PREVIOUSLY CONTAINED IN WSOM CHAPTERS D-07...D-51...AND D-52 INTO
A NEW FORMAT. BASIC POLICY IS CONTAINED IN NWS POLICY DIRECTIVE
10-3...ENTITLED "MARINE AND COASTAL WEATHER SERVICES"...WITH
PROCEDURES AND PRODUCTS DISCUSSED IN THE FOLLOWING NWS PROCEDURAL
INSTRUCTIONS:
10-301 MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES ABBREVIATIONS AND
DEFINITIONS
10-302 MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES AREAS OF
RESPONSIBILITY
10-303 MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES STANDARDS AND
GUIDELINES
10-304 MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES
COMMUNICATIONS...DISSEMINATION
10-310 COASTAL MARINE FORECAST SERVICES
10-311 OFFSHORE...NAVTEX...AND HIGH SEAS MARINE FORECAST
SERVICES
10-312 GREAT LAKES MARINE SERVICES
10-313 SPECIAL MARINE WARNINGS
10-314 MARINE WEATHER STATEMENTS
10-330 OCEAN ICE SERVICES
10-331 GREAT LAKES ICE SERVICES
OUTSIDE OF THE FORMAT CHANGE...THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN
THE NEW MARINE POLICY AND PROCEDURES ARE:
1. FORECASTERS MAY NOW INCLUDE HURRICANE FORCE WIND WARNING
HEADLINES FOR WINDS OF 64 KNOTS OR GREATER NOT ASSOCIATED
WITH A TROPICAL CYCLONE.
2. STANDARDIZED SHIP ICE WARNINGS AT 2 CM PER HOUR OR GREATER
ACCUMULATION FOR ALL OF NORTH AMERICA.
3. FORECASTERS WILL USE THE PERIOD FORMAT FOR ALL COASTAL...
OFFSHORE...AND GREAT LAKES MARINE FORECASTS EXTENDING OUT TO
5 DAYS. THEY WILL NO LONGER ISSUE DISCRETE EXTENDED
FORECASTS.
4. FORECASTERS WILL INCLUDE WINDS AND SEAS IN ALL FORECAST
PERIODS IN ALL MARINE FORECASTS. HOWEVER...THEY MAY SHOW
TREND FORECASTS OF THESE PHENOMENA IN LATER FORECAST PERIODS.
5. FORECASTERS MAY USE SURF ZONE FORECASTS...A NEW PRODUCT...TO
COVER THE AREA BETWEEN THE WATERS EDGE AND THE BEGINNING OF
BREAKING WAVES.
6. REGIONAL DIRECTORS MAY ALLOW COMBINED MARINE AND PUBLIC
FORECASTS IN SELECTED ISLAND AREAS.
7. FORECASTERS WILL TRUNCATE THE NAVTEX FORECAST AT 4 PERIODS TO
BETTER ACCOMMODATE BROADCAST TRANSMISSION LIMITATIONS.
8. GUIDANCE IS GIVEN FOR GRAPHIC FORECAST PRODUCTS.
9. IN RESPONSE TO USER REQUESTS...FORECASTERS WILL CONTINUE
ISSUING THE NEARSHORE FORECAST ON THE GREAT LAKES TO THE END
OF THE SHIPPING SEASON IN DECEMBER.
10. SPECIFIC GUIDANCE IS GIVEN ON HOW VOLCANIC ASH EVENTS IN
MARINE ENVIRONS SHOULD BE HANDLED.
11. WE HAVE PROVIDED A SET OF STANDARDS FOR NWS MARINE PROGRAM
PERSONNEL.
12. CERTAIN MARINE FORECAST AREAS...INCLUDING OFFSHORE AND
COASTAL WATERS OF HAWAII...OFFSHORE WATERS OFF THE SOUTH
ATLANTIC COAST...AND OFFSHORE WATERS SOUTH AND EAST OF THE
LEEWARD AND WINDWARD ISLANDS...HAVE BEEN MODIFIED TO BE MORE
CONSISTENT WITH OTHER NWS MARINE AREAS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS...PLEASE CONTACT:
MR. ROBERT W. JACOBSON JR.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH
1325 EAST-WEST HIGHWAY #13118
SILVER SPRING MARYLAND 20910
PHONE: /301/ 713-1677 EXTENSION 108 /M-F 730 AM - 400 PM/
THIS AND ALL OTHER PENDING NWS SERVICE CHANGE NOTIFICATIONS ARE
AVAILABLE ON THE NWS OFFICE OF CLIMATE...WATER...AND WEATHER
SERVICE/S HOME PAGE IN THE NOTIFICATION SECTION AT /USE LOWER
CASE/:
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM
END
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