NOUS41 KWBC 301345
PNSWSH
SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 08-34
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
945 AM EDT THU APR 30 2008
TO: SUBSCRIBERS:
- FAMILY OF SERVICES
- NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE
- EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK
- OTHER NWS PARTNERS...USERS AND EMPLOYEES.
FROM: THERESE Z. PIERCE
CHIEF...MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH
SUBJECT: IMPLEMENTING IMPROVED MARINE ZONE COVERAGE
ACROSS MATAGORDA BAY TEXAS: EFFECTIVE
JUNE 3 2008
EFFECTIVE TUESDAY JUNE 3 2008 AT 1030 COORDINATED UNIVERSAL
TIME /UTC/ OR 530 AM CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME /CDT/...THE NWS
WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE IN HOUSTON/GALVESTON TEXAS WILL
RECONFIGURE ITS CURRENT MARINE ZONES FOR MATAGORDA BAY.
EAST MATAGORDA BAY WILL BE MERGED WITH THE REMAINDER OF
MATAGORDA BAY. THIS CHANGE SHOULD RESULT IN BETTER FORECAST
SERVICES BY REALIGNING THE BAY AND COASTAL GULF ZONES FOR
CLIMATOLOGICAL...GEOGRAPHICAL...AND BATHYMETRICAL EFFECTS.
CURRENTLY MARINE ZONE GMZ350 EXTENDS FROM THE MATAGORDA SHIP
CHANNEL TO FREEPORT OUT TO 20 NAUTICAL MILES /NM/...
INCLUDING EAST MATAGORDA BAY. EFFECTIVE JUNE 3 2008 EAST
MATAGORDA BAY WILL BE REMOVED FROM THIS COASTAL GULF ZONE
AND BE PLACED INTO MATAGORDA BAY ZONE GMZ330.
THESE RECONFIGURED ZONES ARE LISTED IN TABLE 1 BELOW. WFO
HOUSTON/GALVESTON WILL CONTINUE TO ISSUE FORECASTS AND
WARNINGS FOR THE RECONFIGURED ZONES IN TABLE 1 VIA THE
PRODUCTS LISTED TABLE 2.
TABLE 1. MARINE ZONES BEING RECONFIGURED EFFECTIVE JUNE 3
2008. ZONE NAMES AND UNIVERSAL GEOGRAPHIC CODES /UGC/ WILL
NOT CHANGE ON JUNE 3 2008.
RECONFIGURED MARINE ZONE UGC COMMENT
MATAGORDA BAY GMZ330 NOW INCLUDES EAST
MATAGORA BAY IN THIS
ZONE GROUP
COASTAL WATERS FROM GMZ350 REMOVES EAST
FREEPORT TO MATAGORDA MATAGORDA BAY
SHIP CHANNEL TO OUT FROM THIS ZONE GROUP
TO 20 NM
BECAUSE THE MARINE ZONES IN TABLE 1 WILL NOT CHANGE NAME OR
UGC...CUSTOMERS DO NOT HAVE TO TAKE ANY ACTION TO CONTINUE
RECEIVING THE MARINE TEXT PRODUCTS LISTED IN TABLE 2 BELOW.
CUSTOMERS PROVIDING NWS GRAPHIC MARINE FORECASTS MUST
DOWNLOAD AN UPDATED ZONE MAP SHAPEFILE TO CORRECTLY PROVIDE
GRAPHIC MARINE FORECASTS FOR EAST MATAGORDA BAY.
THIS UPDATED ZONE MAP SHAPEFILE IS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD
FROM THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:
WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/GEODATA/CATALOG/WSOM/HTML/MARINEZONES.HTM
A MAP SHOWING THE TRANSFER OF EAST MATAGORDA BAY FROM GMZ350
TO GMZ330 IS POSTED ON THE WFO HOUSTON/GALVESTON WEBSITE AT
/USE LOWER CASE/:
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/HGX/MARINE/POINT_CLICK_CHANGE.HTM
TABLE 2. WFO HOUSTON/GALVESTON MARINE TEXT PRODUCTS THAT
USE THE UGC DESIGNATORS /Z/ INCLUDING MARINE ZONES GMZ350
AND GMZ330. CUSTOMERS DO NOT HAVE TO TAKE ANY ACTION TO
CONTINUE RECEIVING THESE TEXT PRODUCTS.
PRODUCT NAME WMO HEADING AWIPS ID
COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FZUS54 KHGX CWFHGX
MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE WHUS74 KHGX MWWHGX
SPECIAL MARINE WARNING WHUS54 KHGX SMWHGX
MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT FZUS74 KHGX MWSHGX
HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT WTUS84 KHGX HLSHGX
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FLUS44 KHGX HWOHGX
WATCH COUNTY NOTIFICATION WWUS64 KHGX WCNHGX
UPPER TEXAS TIDE FORECAST SOUS44 KHGX TIDHGX
AND INFORMATION
IF YOU QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS RECONFIGURATION OF
THE COASTAL WATERS FORECAST ZONES...CONTACT:
BRIAN KYLE MELINDA BAILEY
MARINE FOCAL POINT PUBLIC/MARINE METEOROLOGIST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX SOUTHERN REGION HEADQUARTERS
1353 FM 646, #202 819 TAYLOR ST. RM 10A11
DICKINSON, TX 77539 FORT WORTH TX 76102
281-337-5074 817-978-1100 X107
BRIAN.KYLE@xxxxxxxx MELINDA.BAILEY@xxxxxxxx
NWS SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES ARE POSTED AT /USE LOWER CASE/:
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM
$$
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Melody Magnus <melody.magnus@xxxxxxxx <mailto:melody.magnus@xxxxxxxx>>
Webmaster
Office of Climate, Water and Weather Services
National Weather Service