-------- Original Message --------
744
NOUS41 KWBC 181628
PNSWSH
SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 08-31
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
1228 PM EDT FRI APR 18 2008
TO: SUBSCRIBERS:
-FAMILY OF SERVICES
-NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE
-EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK
OTHER NWS PARTNERS...AND NWS EMPLOYEES
FROM: ELI JACKS
CHIEF...FIRE AND PUBLIC WEATHER SERVICES BRANCH
SUBJECT: CHANGES TO THE BOUNDARIES OF THE FIRE WEATHER ZONES IN
SOUTHEAST IDAHO EFFECTIVE MAY 8 2008
EFFECTIVE THURSDAY MAY 8 AT 1200 COORDINATED UNIVERSAL TIME /UTC/
THE NWS WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE /WFO/ IN POCATELLO IDAHO /PIH/
WILL CHANGE SOUTHEAST IDAHO FIRE WEATHER ZONE BOUNDARIES AND ZONE
DESCRIPTOR NAMES.
THIS CHANGE SUPPORTS A MORE EFFICIENT FORECAST PROCESS AND
PROVIDES NWS FIRE WEATHER PARTNERS WITH IMPROVED WATCH...WARNING
AND FORECAST PRODUCTS. HISTORICALLY THERE IS A HIGH FREQUENCY OF
LIGHTNING CAUSED FIRES ORIENTED ALONG A SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST
AXIS IN THE SALMON RIVER MOUNTAINS EAST OF THE MIDDLE FORK SALMON
RIVER. THIS AREA IS CURRENTLY REPRESENTED BY TWO WEST-EAST
ORIENTED ZONES /IDZ405 AND IDZ406/ THAT SPAN A WIDE AREA WITH
LARGE VARIATION IN TERRAIN AND FUEL TYPES. THIS RESULTS IN
PLANNING FORECASTS THAT ARE BROAD AND GENERIC. THE CHANGE BEING
IMPLEMENTED FOR THIS SEASON WILL SHIFT ORIENTATION OF THE FIRE
WEATHER ZONES TO BETTER REFLECT LIGHTNING CLIMATOLOGY IN THE AREA
AND PROVIDE ZONES MORE CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH FIRE AGENCY DISPATCH
BOUNDARIES.
ONCE THIS CHANGE HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED...THE FOLLOWING
GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTORS WILL BE USED IN ALL FIRE WEATHER
FORECAST PRODUCTS ISSUED FOR SOUTHEAST IDAHO:
FIRE WEATHER ZONE DESCRIPTOR
ZONE NUMBER
IDZ475 EAST SALMON RIVER MOUNTAINS/SALMON NF
ID475 PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: THE WESTERN HALF OF THE SALMON-
CHALLIS NATIONAL FOREST BETWEEN THE MIDDLE FORK SALMON RIVER AND
THE SALMON RIVER MOUNTAINS. THE ZONE IS BORDERED ON THE NORTH BY
THE NORTH LEMHI COUNTY LINE AND BORDERED ON THE SOUTH BY THE
SALMON RIVER.
IDZ476 LEMHI AND LOST RIVER RANGE/CHALLIS NF
IDZ476 PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: ALL OF THE LAND FROM THE SALMON
RIVER MOUNTAINS TO THE MOUTH OF THE BIRCH CREEK VALLEY LITTLE
LOST RIVER VALLEY AND BIG LOST RIVER VALLEY. THE ZONE IS BORDERED
ON THE NORTH BY THE MONTANA STATE LINE AND BORDERED ON THE
SOUTHWEST BY THE SAWTOOTH NATIONAL FOREST.
IDZ477 SAWTOOTH RANGE/NORTHERN SAWTOOTH NF
IDZ477 PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: THE NORTHERN SAWTOOTH NATIONAL
FOREST AND CAMAS PRAIRIE. THE ZONE IS BORDERED ON THE NORTH BY
THE SALMON RIVER AND TO THE NORTHWEST BY THE PIONEER MOUNTAINS.
THE ZONE IS BORDERED TO THE WEST BY THE BOISE NATIOAL FOREST AND
TO THE SOUTH BY THE NORTHERN GOODING AND LINCOLN COUNTY LINES.
IDZ409 MIDDLE SNAKE RIVER VALLEY/TWIN FALLS BLM
IDZ409 PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: PORTIONS OF THE MIDDLE SNAKE RIVER
VALLEY AND CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT. THE ZONE IS
BORDERED TO THE WEST BY THE WESTERN LINCOLN AND MINIDOKA COUNTY
LINES AND TO THE SOUTH BY THE SNAKE RIVER. THE ZONE IS BORDERED
TO THE NORTH BY THE LITTLE LOST RIVER AND TO THE EAST BY CRATERS
OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT.
IDZ410 UPPER SNAKE RIVER VALLEY/IDAHO FALLS BLM
IDZ410 PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: THE UPPER SNAKE RIVER VALLEY. THE
ZONE IS BORDERED TO THE NORTH BY THE TARGHEE NATIONAL FOREST AND
TO THE EAST BY THE CARIBOU NATIONAL FOREST. THE ZONE IS BORDERED
TO THE WEST BY CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND TO THE
SOUTH BY THE SNAKE RIVER.
IDZ413 CARIBOU RANGE/CARIBOU NF
IDZ413 PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: THE ZONE BOUNDARY WAS UPDATED FOR
BETTER MAPPING OF THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF AMERICAN FALLS RESERVOIR.
IDZ403 NORTHERN BOISE NATIONAL FOREST
IDZ403 PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: THE EASTERN BOUNDARY WAS CORRECTED
SO THAT THE LITTLE CREEK RAWS OBSERVING SITE CORRECTLY LIES ON
THE EAST SIDE OF THE MIDDLE FORK OF THE SALMON RIVER. THE RAWS
SITE WILL NOW BE CORRECTLY LOCATED WITHIN FIRE WEATHER ZONE
IDZ475.
NWS WATCH...WARNING AND FORECAST PRODUCTS AFFECTED BY THESE
CHANGES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES IDZ475...IDZ476...IDZ477...IDZ409...
IDZ410...AND IDZ413
PRODUCT WMO HEADING AWIPS IDENTIFIER
-------------------------------------------------------------
FIRE WEATHER WATCH WWUS85 KPIH RFWPIH
RED FLAG WARNING WWUS85 KPIH RFWPIH
FIRE WEATHER PLANNING FNUS55 KPIH FWFPIH
FORECAST
NATIONAL FIRE DANGER RATING FNUS85 KPIH FWMPIH
SYSTEM FORECAST
FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES IDZ403
PRODUCT WMO HEADING AWIPS IDENTIFIER
-------------------------------------------------------------
FIRE WEATHER WATCH WWUS85 KBOI RFWBOI
RED FLAG WARNING WWUS85 KBOI RFWBOI
FIRE WEATHER PLANNING FNUS55 KBOI FWFBOI
FORECAST
NATIONAL FIRE DANGER RATING FNUS85 KBOI FWMBOI
SYSTEM FORECAST
NWS CUSTOMERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES TO
THEIR COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS TO ACCOMMODATE THESE ZONE CHANGES.
THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS CHANGE IS SOONER THAN SPECIFIED BY NWS
POLICY /NWS INSTRUCTION 10-1805/. THIS REDUCTION OF ADVANCE
NOTICE WAS REQUESTED BY THE IMPACTED LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND
WILL REQUIRE MINIMAL CHANGES TO SOFTWARE.
SHAPE FILES OF THE NEW FIRE WEATHER ZONES FOR THE NWS POCATELLO
OFFICE ARE AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD FROM THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE /USE
LOWER CASE LETTERS/:
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GEODATA/CATALOG/WSOM/HTML/FIREZONE.HTM
FOR QUESTIONS REGARDING THESE PRODUCT CHANGES... PLEASE CONTACT:
RICK DITTMANN
METEOROLOGIST IN CHARGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
1945 BEECHCRAFT AVE.
POCATELLO ID 83204
PHONE: 208-232-9306
EMAIL: RICK.DITTMANN@xxxxxxxx
NWS SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES ARE ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE/:
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM
$$