-------- Original Message --------
709
NOUS41 KWBC 111812
PNSWSH
SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 07-51...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
212 PM EDT THU OCT 11 2007
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/ PARTNERS AND OTHER USERS...NWS EMPLOYEES
FROM: THERESE Z. PIERCE
CHIEF...MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH
SUBJECT: CORRECTED: CHANGE TO TSUNAMI WARNING...WATCH...ADVISORY AND
INFORMATION STATEMENT DEFINITIONS FOR PRODUCTS ISSUED
BY THE WEST COAST/ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING
CENTER: EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 12 2008
CORRECTED TO REPEAT EFFECTIVE DATE OF FEBRUARY 12 2008 IN
PARAGRAPH DISCUSSING TABLE 1.
EFFECTIVE TUESDAY FEBRUARY 12 2008 AT 1800 COORDINATED UNIVERSAL
TIME...THE DEFINITIONS USED FOR TSUNAMI PRODUCTS ISSUED BY THE
WEST COAST/ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER /WC/ATWC/ WILL BE
REVISED TO PROVIDE BETTER INDICATION OF EXPECTED TSUNAMI IMPACT
LEVEL AND TO MORE CLOSELY ALIGN TSUNAMI PRODUCTS TO OTHER
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ WARNING/WATCH/ADVISORY PRODUCT
SUITES.
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT REVISION IS TO THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY
DEFINITION. THE NEW ADVISORY STATES A TSUNAMI IS EXPECTED THAT
COULD BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE IN OR NEAR THE WATER...BUT NO
SIGNIFICANT INUNDATION IS EXPECTED. CURRENTLY A TSUNAMI ADVISORY
STATES A WATCH OR WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ANOTHER PART OF THE
OCEAN BASIN...AND IT HAS NO RELATION TO POTENTIAL DANGER LEVEL.
IN SITUATIONS WHERE A TSUNAMI WARNING...WATCH OR ADVISORY IS
ISSUED FOR ANOTHER AREA OF THE OCEAN AND THERE IS NO DANGER
WITHIN THE WC/ATWC AREA OF RESPONSIBITY...TSUNAMI INFORMATION
STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED BY WC/ATWC.
THE REVISED TSUNAMI WARNING...WATCH...ADVISORY AND INFORMATION
STATEMENT DEFINITIONS ARE LOCATED IN TABLE 1.
TABLE 1. REVISED TSUNAMI WARNING...ADVISORY...WATCH AND
INFORMATION STATEMENT DEFINITIONS EFFECTIVE TUESDAY FEBRUARY 12 2008.
TSUNAMI WARNING: A TSUNAMI WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN A POTENTIAL
TSUNAMI WITH SIGNIFICANT WIDESPREAD INUNDATION IS IMMINENT OR
EXPECTED. WARNINGS ALERT THE PUBLIC THAT WIDESPREAD... DANGEROUS
COASTAL FLOODING ACCOMPANIED BY POWERFUL CURRENTS IS POSSIBLE AND
MAY CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS AFTER ARRIVAL OF THE INITIAL
WAVE. WARNINGS ALSO ALERT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS TO TAKE
ACTION FOR THE ENTIRE TSUNAMI HAZARD ZONE. APPROPRIATE ACTIONS TO
BE TAKEN BY LOCAL OFFICIALS MAY INCLUDE THE EVACUATION OF LOW-
LYING COASTAL AREAS AND REPOSITIONING SHIPS TO DEEP WATERS WHEN
THERE IS TIME TO SAFELY DO SO. WARNINGS MAY BE UPDATED...
ADJUSTED GEOGRAPHICALLY...DOWNGRADED...OR CANCELED. TO PROVIDE
THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE ALERT...INITIAL WARNINGS ARE NORMALLY BASED
ONLY ON SEISMIC INFORMATION.
TSUNAMI WATCH: A TSUNAMI WATCH IS ISSUED TO ALERT EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND THE PUBLIC OF AN EVENT THAT MAY LATER
IMPACT THE WATCH AREA. THE WATCH AREA MAY BE UPGRADED TO A
WARNING OR ADVISORY - OR CANCELED - BASED ON UPDATED INFORMATION
AND ANALYSIS. THEREFORE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND THE
PUBLIC SHOULD PREPARE TO TAKE ACTION. WATCHES ARE NORMALLY
ISSUED BASED ON SEISMIC INFORMATION WITHOUT CONFIRMATION THAT A
DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI IS UNDERWAY.
TSUNAMI ADVISORY: A TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS ISSUED FOR THE THREAT OF
A POTENTIAL TSUNAMI THAT MAY PRODUCE STRONG CURRENTS OR WAVES
DANGEROUS TO THOSE IN OR NEAR THE WATER. COASTAL REGIONS
HISTORICALLY PRONE TO DAMAGE DUE TO STRONG CURRENTS INDUCED BY
TSUNAMIS ARE AT THE GREATEST RISK. THE THREAT MAY CONTINUE FOR
SEVERAL HOURS AFTER THE ARRIVAL OF THE INITIAL WAVE... BUT
SIGNIFICANT WIDESPREAD INUNDATION IS NOT EXPECTED FOR AREAS UNDER
AN ADVISORY. APPROPRIATE ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY LOCAL OFFICIALS
MAY INCLUDE CLOSING BEACHES... EVACUATING HARBORS AND MARINAS...
AND REPOSITIONING SHIPS TO DEEP WATERS WHEN THERE IS TIME TO
SAFELY DO SO. ADVISORIES ARE NORMALLY UPDATED TO CONTINUE THE
ADVISORY... EXPAND/CONTRACT AFFECTED AREAS... UPGRADE TO A
WARNING... OR CANCEL THE ADVISORY.
TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT: A TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT IS
ISSUED TO INFORM EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND THE PUBLIC
THAT AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED... OR THAT A TSUNAMI WARNING...
WATCH OR ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ANOTHER SECTION OF THE
OCEAN. IN MOST CASES INFORMATION STATEMENTS ARE ISSUED TO
INDICATE THERE IS NO THREAT OF A DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI AND TO
PREVENT UNNECESSARY EVACUATIONS BECAUSE THE EARTHQUAKE MAY HAVE
BEEN FELT IN COASTAL AREAS. AN INFORMATION STATEMENT MAY...IN
APPROPRIATE SITUATIONS...CAUTION ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF
DESTRUCTIVE LOCAL TSUNAMIS. INFORMATION STATEMENTS MAY BE
REISSUED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...THOUGH NORMALLY THESE
MESSAGES ARE NOT UPDATED. HOWEVER...A WATCH...ADVISORY OR
WARNING MAY BE ISSUED FOR THE AREA...IF NECESSARY...AFTER
ANALYSIS AND/OR UPDATED INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.
THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PRODUCT TYPE LINES AND PRODUCT
COMMUNICATIONS IDENTIFIERS REMAIN THE SAME.
FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT TSUNAMI PRODUCTS AND SERVICES PROVIDED
BY THE WC/ATWC CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:
HTTP://WCATWC.ARH.NOAA.GOV
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS...PLEASE CONTACT:
PAUL WHITMORE
WEST COAST AND ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
910 SOUTH FELTON STREET
PALMER AK 99645
PHONE 907-745-4212
EMAIL: PAUL.WHITMORE@xxxxxxxx
THIS NOTICE AND OTHER SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE
AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM
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