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NOUS41 KWBC 041650
PNSWSH
TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION NOTICE 09-05
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
1155 AM EST WED FEB 3 2009
TO: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION USERS
FAMILY OF SERVICES SUBSCRIBERS
OTHER USERS OF NWS AVIATION FORECASTS
FROM: CYNDIE ABELMAN
ACTING CHIEF AVIATION SERVICES BRANCH
SUBJECT: ICAO COMPLIANT TEST OF SIGMET PRODUCTION DURING
FEBRUARY 2009
DURING FEBRUARY 2009 NWS WILL TEST ITS SIGMET PRODUCTION AND
DISTRIBUTION PROCESS. THE TESTS SERVE AS AN IMPORTANT EXERCISE
FOR THE THREE U.S. METEOROLOGICAL WATCH OFFICES /MWO/ IN KANSAS
CITY...ANCHORAGE AND HONOLULU. THE TEST WILL INCLUDE ALL THREE
TYPES OF SIGMETS: VOLCANIC ASH /WV/ TROPICAL CYCLONE /WC/ AND
WEATHER PHENOMENA /WS/. THE VALIDITY PERIOD WILL ONLY BE TEN
MINUTES.
THE THREE MWOS WILL COORDINATE WITH THE TWO VOLCANIC ASH
ADVISORY CENTERS /VAAC/ IN ANCHORAGE AND WASHINGTON FOR THE
VOLCANIC ASH SIGMETS. THE TWO TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVISORY CENTERS
/TCAC/ IN MIAMI AND HONOLULU WILL COORDINATE FOR THE TROPICAL
CYCLONE SIGMETS.
THE TESTS ARE SCHEDULED FOR 0200 UTC ON THE FOLLOWING DATES:
FEBRUARY 10 2009: SIGMET TEST FOR TROPICAL CYCLONE /WC SIGMET/
IS SCHEDULED TO OCCUR AT 0200 UTC WHEN THE MIAMI AND HONOLULU
TCACS ISSUE THE TRIGGERING TROPICAL CYCLONE TEST ADVISORIES.
THESE ADVISORIES THEN DRIVE THE ISSUANCE OF THE TROPICAL TEST
SIGMETS PRODUCED BY THE KANSAS CITY AND HONOLULU MWOS.
FEBRUARY 17 2009: SIGMET TEST FOR VOLCANIC ASH /WV SIGMET/ IS
THE SCHEDULED FOR 0200 UTC WHEN THE WASHINGTON AND ANCHORAGE
VAACS ISSUE THE TRIGGERING VOLCANIC ASH TEST ADVISORIES. THESE
ADVISORIES THEN DRIVE THE ISSUANCE OF THE VOLCANIC ASH TEST
SIGMETS PRODUCED BY THE KANSAS CITY... ANCHORAGE AND HONOLULU
MWOS.
FEBRUARY 24 2009: SIGMET TEST FOR WEATHER PHENOMENA /WS SIGMET/
IS SCHEDULED TO OCCUR AT 0200 UTC WHEN THREE UNITED STATES MWOS
ISSUE THEIR TEST SIGMETS.
IF ACTIVE SIGMETS ARE OCCURING AT THE PROPOSED DATE AND TEST
TIME... THE TEST WILL BE CANCELLED AND RESCHEDULED FOR THE SAME
TIME AND DATE IN MARCH.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CONTACT:
MICHAEL GRAF
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
SSMC-2 STATION 13314
1325 EAST-WEST HIGHWAY
SILVER SPRING MD 20910
PHONE: 301-713-1726 X 117
EMAIL: MICHAEL.GRAF@xxxxxxxx
NATIONAL SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES ARE ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE
LETTERS/:
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/NOTIF.HTM
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