-------- Original Message --------
116
NOUS41 KWBC 131228
PNSWSH
SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 10-04
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
725 AM EST WED JAN 13 2010
TO: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ OFFICES
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION USERS
FAMILY OF SERVICES SUBSCRIBERS
OTHER USERS OF NWS AVIATION FORECASTS
FROM: CYNTHIA ABLEMAN
CHIEF...AVIATION SERVICES BRANCH
SUBJECT: AVIATION WEATHER CENTER /AWC/ GRAPHICAL AIRMET
/G-AIRMET/ BECOMES AN OPERATIONAL PRODUCT:
EFFECTIVE MARCH 16 2010
NOTE: THE FOLLOWING CHANGES HAVE NO IMPACT ON NOAA WEATHER
WIRE SUBSCRIBERS
EFFECTIVE TUESDAY MARCH 16 2010 AT 1500 UTC THE NWS WILL
BEGIN ISSUING A GRAPHICAL AIRMANS METEOROLOGICAL ADVISORY
/G-AIRMET/ AS AN OPERATIONAL PRODUCT.
THE G-AIRMET IS PRODUCED IN BUFR-FORMAT. IT IS A TIME SERIES
DEPICTION OF AVIATION WEATHER HAZARDS AND ELEMENTS OCCURRING
WITH OCCASIONAL OR GREATER FREQUENCY THROUGHOUT THE CONTERMINOUS
U.S. AND ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. THE AVIATION WEATHER HAZARDS
AND ELEMENTS DEPICTED ARE:
1. SURFACE VISIBILITY /IFR VIS/ BELOW THREE /3/ STATUTE
MILES...INCLUDING THE WEATHER RESTRICTING THE VISIBILITY.
2. CLOUD CEILINGS /IFR CIG/ WITH BASES LESS THAN 1000 FEET
ABOVE GROUND LEVEL /AGL/.
3. WIDESPREAD MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION /MTN OBSCN/ WHERE VISUAL
METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS /VMC/ CANNOT BE MAINTAINED...
INCLUDING THE WEATHER CAUSING THE OBSCURATION.
4. MODERATE TURBULENCE /MOD TURB/...INCLUDING THE TOP AND
BOTTOM ALTITUDES OF THE TURBULENCE LAYER.
5. SUSTAINED SURFACE WIND GREATER THAN 30 KNOTS /STG SFC WND/.
6. NON-CONVECTIVE LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR POTENTIAL BELOW 2000
FEET AGL /LLWS/.
7. MODERATE ICING /MOD ICE/...INCLUDING THE TOP AND BOTTOM
ALTITUDES OF THE ICING LAYER. WHEN THE BOTTOM ALTITUDE IS
GIVEN AS FREEZING LEVEL /FRZLVL/...THE RANGE OF FREEZING
LEVEL ALTITUDES IS ALSO PROVIDED.
8. FREEZING LEVEL /FRZLVL/ CONTOURS AT THE SURFACE AND AT
4000...8000...12000...AND 16000 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL.
9. MULTIPLE FREEZING LEVELS /M_FZLVL/...INCLUDING THE HEIGHT OF
THE HIGHEST AND LOWEST FREEZING LEVELS.
THE G-AIRMET WILL BE ISSUED ROUTINELY AT 0255...0855...1455...
AND 2055 UTC AND AMENDED AS NECESSARY BETWEEN ROUTINE ISSUANCES.
EACH ROUTINE ISSUANCE IS VALID THROUGH 12 HOURS WITH A STANDARD
TIME RESOLUTION OF THREE /3/ HOURS.
G-AIRMET CONTAINS THREE /3/ BUFR MESSAGES FOR THE HAZARDS LISTED
ABOVE:
- /SIERRA/ FOR ITEMS 1 THROUGH 3
- /TANGO/ FOR ITEMS 4 THROUGH 6
- /ZULU/ FOR ITEMS 7 THROUGH 9.
HEADER AND FTP INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED IN THE PRODUCT
DESCRIPTION DOCUMENT BEFORE THE IMPLEMENTATION DATE AT
/USE LOWER CASE/:
HTTP://PRODUCTS.WEATHER.GOV/VIEWLIST.PHP
A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE GRAPHICAL AIRMET AND THE BUFR
ENCODE/DECODE SCHEME IS AVAILABLE AT /USE LOWER CASE/:
HTTP://AVIATIONWEATHER.GOV/NOTICE/G-AIRMET
REAL-TIME EXAMPLES OF THE GRAPHICAL AIRMET ARE AVAILABLE AT
/USE LOWER CASE/:
HTTP://AVIATIONWEATHER.GOV/PRODUCTS/GAIRMET/
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:
MICHAEL PAT MURPHY
WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST
AVIATION WEATHER CENTER
KANSAS CITY MISSOURI
816-584-7239
MICHAEL.PAT.MURPHY@xxxxxxxx
NATIONAL TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION NOTICES ARE ONLINE AT
/USE LOWERCASE/:
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/NOTIF.HTM
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