-------- Original Message --------
269
NOUS41 KWBC 081256
PNSWSH
TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION NOTICE 09-17
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
855 AM EDT FRI MAY 08 2009
TO: SUBSCRIBERS:
-FAMILY OF SERVICES
-NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE
-EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK
OTHER NWS PARTNERS...AND NWS EMPLOYEES
FROM: KEVIN SCHRAB CHIEF...OBSERVING SERVICES DIVISION
SUBJECT: AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVING SYSTEM /ASOS/
CEILOMETER REPLACEMENT BEGINNING MAY 13 2009
AT 2000 GMT.
THE FOLLOWING CHANGES HAVE NO DIRECT IMPACT ON NOAA WEATHER
WIRE SERVICE SUBSCRIBERS.
STARTING MAY 13 2009 AT 2000 GMT AT HILO HAWAII THE ASOS
PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM WILL START DEPLOYING A
REPLACEMENT CEILOMETER SKY CONDITION OBSERVING SENSOR. THE
NEW SENSOR USES IMPROVED OPTICAL AND MECHANICAL DESIGNS
THAT HELP IT SEE THROUGH FOG... HAZE AND PRECIPITATION TO
DETECT THE CLOUD BASE. DURING THESE EVENTS THE CLOUD BASES
FROM THE NEW CEILOMETER MAY BE REPORTED AT HIGHER LEVELS
THAN THOSE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED FROM THE OLD CEILOMETER. ALL
NWS AND FAA ASOS LOCATIONS WILL TRANSITION TO THE NEW
CEILOMETER DATA UNTIL NATIONAL DEPLOYMENT OF THIS SENSOR IS
COMPLETE.
A COMPARISON STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO EVALUATE ANY SENSOR
PERFORMANCE CHANGES THAT MIGHT OCCUR DUE TO THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW CEILOMETER. THE CT12K AND CL31
CEILOMETER METEOROLOGICAL COMPARISON EVALUATION PLAN AND
THE RESULTS OF THE EVALUATION ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT
/USE LOWERCASE/:
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OPS2/OPS24/DOCUMENTS/ASOS_CEILOMETER.HTM
THERE IS NO CHANGE TO THE FORMAT USED TO REPORT THE SKY
CONDITION INFORMATION IN ANY OF THE ASOS PRODUCTS OR
MESSAGES. CLOUD LAYERS... HEIGHT AND SKY COVERAGE WILL
CONTINUE TO BE REPORTED FROM THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH TO AN
UPPER LEVEL OF 12000 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS...PLEASE CONTACT:
LAURA A. COOK
SURFACE OBSERVATIONS PROGRAM MANAGER
301-713-1792 X 126
LAURA.COOK@xxxxxxxx
OR
JOHN MONTE
ASOS PLANNED PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM MANAGER
301-713-1975 X160
JOHN.MONTE@xxxxxxxx.
OR
DAVID MANNARANO
OFFICE OF OPERATIONAL SYSTEMS
301-713-2093 X 103
DAVID.MANNARANO@xxxxxxxx
NATIONAL TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION NOTICES ARE ONLINE AT
/USE LOWERCASE/:
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/NOTIF.HTM
$$