-------- Original Message --------
878
NOUS41 KWBC 121457
PNSWSH
SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 10-18
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
957 AM EST FRI MAR 12 2010
TO: SUBSCRIBERS:
-FAMILY OF SERVICES
-NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE
-NOAAPORT
-EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK
-OTHER NWS PARTNERS...USERS AND EMPLOYEES
FROM: THERESE Z. PIERCE
CHIEF...MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH
SUBJECT: TEST OF OPERATIONAL VALID TIME EVENT CODE /VTEC/ FOR
RIP CURRENTS IN COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE /CFW/ IN SELECT
WEATHER FORECAST OFFICES /WFOS/: EFFECTIVE MAY 12 2010
EFFECTIVE WEDNESDAY MAY 12 2010 AT 1200 COORDINATED UNIVERSAL
TIME /UTC/ 7 SELECT NWS WFOS WILL BEGIN USING A NEW VTEC CODE
FOR RIP CURRENTS IN THEIR COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGES /CFW/.
THESE WFOS WILL BEGIN USING THE NEW VTEC CODE /RP.S/ IN THE CFW.
THIS CFW WILL CONTAIN A RIP CURRENT VTEC CODE TO MORE
SPECIFICALLY TARGET RIP CURRENT THREAT. THIS VTEC WILL BE
CONSIDERED OPERATIONAL AND WILL HAVE THE /O/ IDENTIFIER.
TABLE 1: COMMUNICATION IDENTIFIERS FOR CFWS ISSUED BY 7 WFOS
THAT WILL USE THE NEW VTEC RP.S CODE EFFECTIVE MAY 12 2010.
ISSUING WFO WMO HEADER AWIPS ID
CHARLESTON SC WHUS42 KCHS CFWCHS
NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC WHUS42 KMHX CFWMHX
WILMINGTON NC WHUS42 KILM CFWILM
JACKSONVILLE FL WHUS42 KJAX CFWJAX
TALLAHASSEE FL WHUS42 KTAE CFWTAE
CHICAGO IL WHUS43 KLOT CFWLOT
NORTHERN INDIANA IN WHUS43 KIWX CFWIWX
CUSTOMERS MUST CHANGE THEIR SYSTEMS TO PROCESS THE RP.S CODE
CARRIED IN CFW MESSAGES ISSUED BY THE WFOS LISTED IN TABLE 1.
THE REMAINING NWS COASTAL OFFICES WILL CONTINUE TO USE THE
/CF.S/ OR /LS.S/ VTEC CODE FOR COASTAL/LAKESHORE FLOOD STATEMENT
FOR THE RIP CURRENT THREAT.
THIS TEST OF THE NEW RP.S CODE WILL CONTINUE UNTIL FURTHER
NOTICE...UNLESS NWS RECEIVES SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE FEEDBACK.
USERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THIS MARINE ZONE
RECONFIGURATION BY USING THE BRIEF SURVEY AND COMMENT FORM
AVAILABLE AT /USE LOWERCASE EXCEPT /RCVTEC//:
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SURVEY/NWS-SURVEY.PHP?CODE=RCVTECCHM
GENERAL INFORMATION ON VTEC CAN BE FOUND AT /USE LOWERCASE/:
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OS/VTEC
THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS CHANGE IS SOONER THAN SPECIFIED BY
NWS INSTRUCTION 10-1805. THE REDUCTION OF THE NORMAL ADVANCE
LEAD TIME WAS APPROVED BECAUSE OF THE CRITICAL NEED TO PROVIDE
ENHANCED RIP CURRENT INFORMATION BY THE START OF THIS YEAR'S
SWIMMING SEASON.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS PLEASE CONTACT:
DAVID SOROKA
NATIONAL MARINE PROGRAM LEADER
1325 EAST WEST HIGHWAY
SILVER SPRING MD 20910
301-713-1677 EXT. 111
DAVID.SOROKA@xxxxxxxx
NWS SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES ARE ONLINE AT /USE LOWERCASE/:
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/NOTIF.HTM
$$
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