-------- Original Message --------
320
NOUS41 KWBC 041940
PNSWSH
TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION NOTICE 10-40
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
340 PM EDT WED AUG 4 2010
TO: SUBSCRIBERS
-FAMILY OF SERVICES
-NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE
-EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK
-SATELLITE BROADCAST NETWORK /SBN NOAAPORT/
-OTHER NWS USES... PARTNERS AND EMPLOYEES
FROM: KEVIN SCHRAB
CHIEF...OBSERVING SERVICES DIVISION
OFFICE OF CLIMATE WATER AND WEATHER SERVICES
SUBJECT: AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVING SYSTEM /ASOS/
DEPLOYMENT OF THE ALTERSHIELD FOR THE ALL
WEATHER PRECIPITATION ACCUMULATON GUAGE /AWPAG/
NOTE: THE FOLLOWING CHANGES HAVE NO DIRECT IMPACT ON
NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE SUBSCRIBERS.
NWS IS DEPLOYING AN IMPROVED ALTERSHIELD/WIND SCREEN FOR
THE ASOS AWPAG. THE ALTERSHIELD HAS BEEN TESTED AND SHOWN
TO IMPROVE PRECIPITATION ACCUMULATION CATCH ACCURACY DURING
WIND DRIVEN SNOW EVENTS.
A COMPARISON STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO EVALUATE SENSOR
PERFORMANCE CHANGES THAT MIGHT OCCUR DUE TO THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ALTERSHIELD. THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY
SHOWED IMPROVED PRECIPITATION CATCHES DURING WIND DRIVEN
SNOW EVENTS. COMPARISON EVALUATION STUDIES AND THEIR
RESULTS ARE AVAILABLE AT /USE LOWERCASE/:
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OPS2/SURFACE/ASOSIMPLEMENTATION.HTM
THE IMPROVED ALTERSHIELD DESIGN CONSISTS OF AN 8 FOOT
DIAMETER WIND SHIELD THAT WILL BE DEPLOYED AT UP TO
316 ASOS EQUIPPED AWPAG LOCATIONS. HOWEVER AT UP TO
16 AWPAG LOCATIONS... BECAUSE OF SPACE LIMITATIONS... A
SMALLER 6 FOOT DIAMETER SHIELD WILL BE INSTALLED. THE NEW
ALTERSHIELD WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT ASOS OPERATIONS
BEGINNING WITH INSTALLATION. A LIST OF SITES EQUIPPED WITH
EITHER THE 8 FOOT OR 6 FOOT ALTHERSHIELD AND INSTALLATION
DATES MAY BE FOUND AT THE FOLLOWING URL:
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OPS2/SURFACE/ASOSIMPLEMENTATION.HTM
THERE IS NO CHANGE TO THE FORMAT USED TO REPORT THE
PRECIPITATION ACCUMULATION INFORMATION IN ANY OF THE ASOS
PRODUCTS OR MESSAGES.
FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS CHANGE...PLEASE CONTACT:
SERGIO MARSH
SURFACE OBSERVATIONS PROGRAM MANAGER
PHONE: 301-713-1792 X 124
E-MAIL: SERGIO.MARSH@xxxxxxxx
OR
JOHN MONTE
ASOS PLANNED PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM MANAGER
PHONE: 301-713-1975 X160
E-MAIL: JOHN.MONTE@xxxxxxxx.
OR
DAVID MANNARANO
OFFICE OF OPERATIONAL SYSTEMS
PHONE: 301-713-2093 X 103
E-MAIL: DAVID.MANNARANO@xxxxxxxx
NATIONAL TINS ARE ONLINE AT /USE LOWERCASE/:
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM
$$