-------- Original Message --------
831
NOUS41 KWBC 251600
PNSWSH
SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 10-13
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
1100 AM EST THU FEB 25 2010
TO: SUBSCRIBERS:
- FAMILY OF SERVICES
- NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE
- EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK
- NOAAPORT
- OTHER NWS PARTNERS USERS AND EMPLOYEES
FROM: THERESE Z. PIERCE
CHIEF...MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH
SUBJECT: CHANGE TO TSUNAMI WARNING...WATCH...ADVISORY AND
INFORMATION STATEMENT DEFINITIONS FOR DOMESTIC
PRODUCTS ISSUED BY THE PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING
CENTER: EFFECTIVE APRIL 1 2010
EFFECTIVE THURSDAY APRIL 1 2010 AT 1800 COORDINATED UNIVERSAL
TIME... DEFINITIONS USED FOR DOMESTIC TSUNAMI PRODUCTS ISSUED
BY THE PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER /PTWC/ WILL BE REVISED TO
PROVIDE BETTER INDICATION OF EXPECTED TSUNAMI IMPACT LEVEL AND
TO MORE CLOSELY ALIGN TSUNAMI PRODUCTS TO OTHER NWS
WARNING/WATCH/ADVISORY PRODUCT SUITES.
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT REVISION IS TO THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY
DEFINITION. CURRENTLY A TSUNAMI ADVISORY STATES THAT A WATCH OR
WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ANOTHER PART OF THE OCEAN BASIN AND
THAT THE TSUNAMI MAY OR MAY NOT AFFECT THE AREA UNDER THE
ADVISORY. THE NEW ADVISORY STATES A TSUNAMI IS EXPECTED THAT
COULD BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE IN OR NEAR THE WATER BUT NO
SIGNIFICANT INUNDATION IS EXPECTED.
UNDER THE NEW DEFINITIONS...IN SITUATIONS WHERE A TSUNAMI
WARNING...WATCH OR ADVISORY IS ISSUED FOR ANOTHER AREA OF THE
OCEAN...ONLY A TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY
PTWC REGARDLESS OF THE POTENTIAL FUTURE THREAT.
THE REVISED TSUNAMI WARNING...WATCH...ADVISORY AND INFORMATION
STATEMENT DEFINITIONS ARE LOCATED IN TABLE 1.
TABLE 1. REVISED TSUNAMI WARNING...ADVISORY...WATCH AND
INFORMATION STATEMENT DEFINITIONS FOR PTWC DOMESTIC PRODUCTS
EFFECTIVE THURSDAY APRIL 1 2010.
TSUNAMI WARNING: A TSUNAMI WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN A POTENTIAL
TSUNAMI WITH SIGNIFICANT WIDESPREAD INUNDATION IS IMMINENT OR
EXPECTED. WARNINGS ALERT THE PUBLIC THAT WIDESPREAD... DANGEROUS
COASTAL FLOODING ACCOMPANIED BY POWERFUL CURRENTS IS POSSIBLE
AND MAY CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS AFTER ARRIVAL OF THE INITIAL
WAVE. WARNINGS ALSO ALERT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS TO TAKE
ACTION FOR THE ENTIRE TSUNAMI HAZARD ZONE. APPROPRIATE ACTIONS
TO BE TAKEN BY LOCAL OFFICIALS MAY INCLUDE THE EVACUATION OF
LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS AND REPOSITIONING SHIPS TO DEEP WATERS
WHEN THERE IS TIME TO SAFELY DO SO. WARNINGS MAY BE UPDATED...
ADJUSTED GEOGRAPHICALLY...DOWNGRADED OR CANCELED. TO PROVIDE
THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE ALERT...INITIAL WARNINGS ARE NORMALLY
BASED ONLY ON SEISMIC INFORMATION.
TSUNAMI WATCH: A TSUNAMI WATCH IS ISSUED TO ALERT EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND THE PUBLIC OF AN EVENT THAT MAY LATER
IMPACT THE WATCH AREA. THE WATCH AREA MAY BE UPGRADED TO A
WARNING OR ADVISORY - OR CANCELED - BASED ON UPDATED INFORMATION
AND ANALYSIS. THEREFORE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND THE
PUBLIC SHOULD PREPARE TO TAKE ACTION. WATCHES ARE NORMALLY
ISSUED BASED ON SEISMIC INFORMATION WITHOUT CONFIRMATION THAT A
DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI IS UNDERWAY.
TSUNAMI ADVISORY: A TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS ISSUED FOR THE THREAT OF
A POTENTIAL TSUNAMI THAT MAY PRODUCE STRONG CURRENTS OR WAVES
DANGEROUS TO THOSE IN OR NEAR THE WATER. COASTAL REGIONS
HISTORICALLY PRONE TO DAMAGE DUE TO STRONG CURRENTS INDUCED BY
TSUNAMIS ARE AT THE GREATEST RISK. THE THREAT MAY CONTINUE FOR
SEVERAL HOURS AFTER THE ARRIVAL OF THE INITIAL WAVE...BUT
SIGNIFICANT WIDESPREAD INUNDATION IS NOT EXPECTED FOR AREAS
UNDER AN ADVISORY. APPROPRIATE ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY LOCAL
OFFICIALS MAY INCLUDE CLOSING BEACHES...EVACUATING HARBORS AND
MARINAS...AND REPOSITIONING SHIPS TO DEEP WATERS WHEN THERE IS
TIME TO SAFELY DO SO. ADVISORIES ARE NORMALLY UPDATED TO
CONTINUE THE ADVISORY...EXPAND/CONTRACT AFFECTED AREAS...
UPGRADE TO A WARNING...OR CANCEL THE ADVISORY.
TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT: A TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT
IS ISSUED TO INFORM EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND THE
PUBLIC THAT AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED...OR THAT A TSUNAMI
WARNING...WATCH OR ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ANOTHER SECTION
OF THE OCEAN. IN MOST CASES INFORMATION STATEMENTS ARE ISSUED TO
INDICATE THERE IS NO THREAT OF A DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI AND TO
PREVENT UNNECESSARY EVACUATIONS BECAUSE THE EARTHQUAKE MAY HAVE
BEEN FELT IN COASTAL AREAS. AN INFORMATION STATEMENT MAY...IN
APPROPRIATE SITUATIONS...CAUTION ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF
DESTRUCTIVE LOCAL TSUNAMIS. INFORMATION STATEMENTS MAY BE
REISSUED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...THOUGH NORMALLY THESE
MESSAGES ARE NOT UPDATED. HOWEVER...A WATCH...ADVISORY OR
WARNING MAY BE ISSUED FOR THE AREA...IF NECESSARY...AFTER
ANALYSIS AND/OR UPDATED INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.
THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PRODUCT TYPE LINES AND PRODUCT
COMMUNICATIONS IDENTIFIERS REMAIN THE SAME.
FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT TSUNAMI PRODUCTS AND SERVICES PROVIDED
BY THE PTWC CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT /USE LOWERCASE/:
HTTP://WWW.PRH.NOAA.GOV/PTWC
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS...PLEASE CONTACT:
CHARLES MCCREERY
PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
91-270 FORT WEAVER ROAD
EWA BEACH, HI 96706-2928
808-689-8207
CHARLES.MCCREERY@xxxxxxxx
NATIONAL SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES ARE ONLINE AT /USE LOWERCASE/:
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/NOTIF.HTM
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