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NOUS41 KWBC 151456
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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 03-24
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
1100 AM EDT TUE APR 15 2003
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...AND NWS EMPLOYEES
FROM THERESE Z. PIERCE
CHIEF...MARINE AND COASTAL WEATHER SERVICES BRANCH
SUBJECT CHANGES TO SURF ZONE FORECAST AND RIP CURRENT
PROGRAM...EFFECTIVE MAY 15 2003
IN RESPONSE TO THE NEEDS OF NWS CUSTOMERS...NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE WEATHER FORECAST OFFICES /WFOS/ PROVIDING RIP CURRENT
INFORMATION WILL INCLUDE THIS PARAMETER IN THE SURF ZONE FORECAST
/AWIPS PRODUCT CATEGORY SRF/ AS OF MAY 15 2003. IN ADDITION...
THE SRF WILL BECOME A SEGMENTED PRODUCT AS OF MAY 15 2003.
THE SURF ZONE IS THE VERY NARROW AREA OF WATER BETWEEN THE HIGH
TIDE LEVEL ON THE BEACH AND THE SEA-WARD SIDE OF BREAKING WAVES.
THE SURF ZONE FORECAST DEBUTED IN MAY 2002 AT SOME WFOS.
SRF PRODUCT IDENTIFIERS AND COMMUNICATIONS PATHWAYS WILL BE IN
PLACE EFFECTIVE MAY 15 2003...HOWEVER SOME WFOS MAY NOT BEGIN TO
ISSUE THEIR SRF UNTIL THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. A LIST OF
PARTICIPATING COASTAL WFOS ISSUING THE SRF ON OR AFTER MAY 15
2003 FOLLOWS. PLEASE NOTE...THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO WMO HEADINGS
OR AWIPS IDENTIFIERS AND NO ACTIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR CONTINUED
RECEIPT OF PRODUCTS FROM WFOS THAT PRODUCED THE SRF IN 2002.
WFO WMO HEADING AWIPS ID
BROWNSVILLE TX * FZUS54 KBRO SRFBRO
CHARLESTON SC * FZUS52 KCHS SRFCHS
JACKSONVILLE FL * FZUS52 KJAX SRFJAX
LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA FZUS56 KLOX SRFLOX
MELBOURNE FL * FZUS52 KMLB SRFMLB
MIAMI FL * FZUS52 KMFL SRFMFL
MOBILE AL * FZUS54 KMOB SRFMOB
NEWPORT NC FZUS52 KMHX SRFMHX
PHILADELPHIA PA FZUS51 KPHI SRFPHI
SAN DIEGO CA FZUS56 KSGX SRFSGX
TALLAHASSEE FL * FZUS52 KTAE SRFTAE
WAKEFIELD VA FZUS51 KAKQ SRFAKQ
WILMINGTON NC FZUS52 KILM SRFILM
* THE WFOS DENOTED WITH ASTERISKS PROVIDE THE SRF FOR THE
FIRST TIME ON OR AFTER MAY 15 2003.
RIP CURRENT INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE NWS WILL USE THE
FOLLOWING THREE-TIERED SET OF QUALIFIERS IN TEXT PRODUCTS...
LOW RISK. WIND AND/OR WAVE CONDITIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO
SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF RIP CURRENTS. HOWEVER...RIP CURRENTS
CAN SOMETIMES OCCUR...ESPECIALLY IN THE VICINITY OF
GROINS...JETTIES...AND PIERS. KNOW HOW TO SWIM AND HEED THE
ADVICE OF THE BEACH PATROL.
MODERATE RISK. WIND AND/OR WAVE CONDITIONS SUPPORT STRONGER
OR MORE FREQUENT RIP CURRENTS. ONLY EXPERIENCED SURF SWIMMERS
SHOULD ENTER THE WATER.
HIGH RISK. WIND AND/OR WAVE CONDITIONS SUPPORT DANGEROUS
RIP CURRENTS. RIP CURRENTS ARE LIFE-THREATENING TO ANYONE
ENTERING THE SURF.
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT RIP CURRENTS IS AVAILABLE AT:
HTTP://WWW.RIPCURRENTS.NOAA.GOV
THE NWS LOOKS FORWARD TO STRENGTHENING AND ENCOURAGING AN ACTIVE
DIALOGUE BETWEEN OUR COASTAL WFOS AND LOCAL AGENCIES RESPONSIBLE
FOR BEACHFRONT SAFETY. THESE SAFETY OFFICIALS ARE ENCOURAGED TO
PASS ON NWS RIP CURRENT INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC. THESE SAFETY
OFFICIALS ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO RELAY RIP CURRENT OBSERVATIONS
BACK TO THE LOCAL WFO.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR NEED A SAMPLE PRODUCT...PLEASE
CONTACT
MR. TIMOTHY SCHOTT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH
1325 EAST WEST HWY ROOM 13124
SILVER SPRING MARYLAND 20910
PHONE /301/ 713 1677 EXTENSION 122
E MAIL TIMOTHY.SCHOTT@xxxxxxxx
THIS NOTICE AND OTHER SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES CAN BE FOUND ON THE
INTERNET AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM
$$
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