NOUS41 KWBC 171330
PNSWSH
SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 08-55
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
930 AM EDT WED SEP 17 2008
TO: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ OFFICES
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION /FAA/ USERS
FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/ SUBSCRIBERS
OTHER USERS OF NWS AVIATION FORECASTS
FROM: KEVIN L. JOHNSTON
CHIEF...AVIATION SERVICES BRANCH
SUBJECT: REMINDER: FORMAT CHANGE FOR TERMINAL AERODROME FORECASTS
/TAFS/ FROM 24-HOUR FORMAT TO 30-HOUR FORMAT:
EFFECTIVE 0000 UTC NOVEMBER 5 2008
REFER TO: SCN 08-15... SCN 08-46... TIN 08-16... TIN 08-17... TIN
08-18... TIN 08-24... TIN 08-25... TIN 08-30...AND TIN 08-73
EFFECTIVE AT 0000 COORDINATED UNIVERSAL TIME /UTC/ NOVEMBER 5 2008
ALL TAFS ISSUED BY NWS WILL CHANGE THE DATE AND TIME INDICATOR
FORMAT IN THE TAF FROM THE PRESENT 24-HOUR FORMAT TO A NEW 30-HOUR
FORMAT CONSISTENT WITH NEW INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION
ORGANIZATION /ICAO/ RULES. THE EFFECTIVE TIME OF 0000 UTC WAS SET
BY ICAO AND COORDINATED THROUGHOUT ITS MEMBERSHIP.
THIS FORMAT CHANGE IS PART OF AN INTERNATIONAL EFFORT TO IMPLEMENT
A CONSISTENT TAF FORMAT EVEN AS TAF VALID TIMES RANGE FROM A FEW
HOURS UP TO AND INCLUDING 30 HOURS. ALL OF THE NEARLY 625 TAFS
ISSUED BY NWS WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS CHANGE. A TABLE LISTING
ALL THE AFFECTED TAFS IS LOCATED AT /USE LOWER CASE/:
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/AVIATION/PDFS/30_HR_TAF_TABLE1.PDF
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION /FAA/ PERSONNEL AND OTHER EXTERNAL
USERS RECEIVING NWS TAFS IN THE TAF COLLECTIVES BELOW WILL ALSO
NEED TO TAKE ACTION TO ENSURE CONTINUED ABILITY TO DECODE TAFS.
WMO HEADINGS AVAILABLE TO THE FOLLOWING CUSTOMERS
FTUS80 KWBC NON-FAA DOMESTIC AND FAMILY OF SERVICES
FTUS90 KWBC FAA WEATHER MESSAGE SWITCHING CENTER
AND FAA FACILITIES
FTUS52 KWBC GLOBAL TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM CUSTOMERS
TEST TAFS WILL BE PROVIDED FOR USERS TO CHECK AND EVALUATE THEIR
ABILITY TO DECODE THE NEW DATE AND TIME FORMAT. THESE TESTS WILL
BE OCCURRING AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK THROUGH SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER.
TIN 08-73 DETAILS THE TEST STRUCTURE AND METHOD. A TAF TESTBED
CAN BE FOUND AT /USE LOWER CASE/:
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/AVIATION/TAF_TESTBED.HTM
IN ADDITION...TAFS FOR 32 LARGE AIRPORTS WILL BECOME VALID FOR
30 HOURS. THE SPECIFIC AIRPORTS AND TAFS SCHEDULED TO HAVE
EXTENDED VALID TIMES WERE ANNOUNCED IN SEPARATE NOTICES. SEE TINS
08-16... 08-17... 08-18... 08-24... 08-25...AND 08-30. THESE
CHANGES WILL TAKE EFFECT AT 0000 UTC.
NATIONAL GUIDELINES REGARDING THE TAF WILL BE INCLUDED AS PART OF
A FUTURE UPDATE OF NWS INSTRUCTION /NWSI/ 10-813 TERMINAL
AERODROME FORECASTS AT /USE LOWER CASE/:
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/DIRECTIVES/SYM/PD01008013CURR.PDF
GUIDANCE TO NWS FORECASTERS FOR EDITING THE NEW TAF FORMAT WILL BE
PROVIDED AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:
HTTP://AVIATIONWEATHER.GOV/NOTICE/TAF30.PHP
REPEATING: THIS CHANGE IS EFFECTIVE AT 0000 UTC NOVEMBER 5
2008...AND WILL AFFECT ALL TAFS PRODUCED BY NWS.
FOR QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE PLEASE CONTACT:
BETH MCNULTY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
AVIATION SERVICES BRANCH
1325 EAST WEST HIGHWAY
SILVER SPRING MD 20910
301-713-1726 EXT 116
BETH.MCNULTY@xxxxxxxx
NWS SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES ARE ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE/:
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/NOTIF.HTM
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