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-------- Original Message --------208 NOUS41 KWBC 221755
PNSWSH TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION NOTICES 08-45 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC 155 PM EDT THU MAY 22 2008 TO: SUBSCRIBERS: -FAMILY OF SERVICES -NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE-EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK OTHER NWS PARTNERS...USERS AND EMPLOYEES
FROM: THERESE Z. PIERCE
CHIEF...MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH
SUBJECT: CHANGE IN FORMAT OF THE AUTOMATED TROPICAL
CYCLONE FORECAST /ATCF/ DATABASE AT THE NATIONAL
HURRICANE CENTER /NHC/: EFFECTIVE WHEN THE FIRST
TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMS IN 2008.
A COMPREHENSIVE DATABASE EXISTS WITHIN NHC/S/ FORECAST COMPUTER
SYSTEM...THE ATCF. AMONG THE COMPONENTS OF THE ATCF DATABASE ARE
THE A DECKS...B DECKS...AND F DECKS WHICH CONTAIN THE FORECASTS
...BEST TRACKS...AND FIXES RESPECTIVELY. THIS NOTICE ADVISES
USERS OF THESE DATA OF CONTENT CHANGES TO THE B DECKS.
BY CONVENTION THE BEST TRACK DATA IN THE B DECK FILES HAVE BEEN
RESTRICTED TO THE SYNOPTIC TIMES OF 00...06...12...AND 18
COORDINATED UNIVERSAL TIME /UTC/. NHC IS LIFTING THIS
RESTRICTION SO STAFF CAN ENTER EVENTS OF INTEREST OCCURRING AT
NON-SYNOPTIC TIMES...ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST HOUR. SUCH EVENTS
COULD INCLUDE PRESSURE MINIMA OR WIND MAXIMA THAT OCCUR AT
OFF-SYNOPTIC TIMES...OR SIGNIFICANT LANDFALLS.
NHC WILL ALSO BE GOING BACK THROUGH EXISTING NON-DIGITAL
RECORDS...THE TROPICAL CYCLONE PRELIMINARY REPORTS...AND
AMENDING THE HISTORICAL B DECKS FOR KNOWN OCCURRENCES OF
NON-SYNOPTIC INTENSITY MAXIMA INFORMATION AS WELL AS SELECTED
LANDFALLS.
DATA WILL BE STORED IN THIS NEW FORMAT WHEN THE FIRST TROPICAL
CYCLONE FORMS IN 2008.
SOFTWARE USED TO READ THESE FILES SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THIS
CHANGE. A SAMPLE ATCF FILE IS AVAILABLE TO TEST SOFTWARE AT
/USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:
FTP://FTP.NHC.NOAA.GOV/ATCF
THIS DIRECTORY ALSO CONTAINS A README FILE WITH LINKS TO FILE
FORMATS AND A NOTICE FILE DOCUMENTING SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE
DATABASE.
THIS NOTICE IS OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF NWS DIRECTIVE 10-1805 AND IS SENT AS A COURTESY. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR NEED A SAMPLE FILE...PLEASE CONTACT:
JAMES FRANKLIN NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER 11691 SW 17TH STREET MIAMI FLORIDA 33165 305 229 4475 EMAIL: JAMES.FRANKLIN@xxxxxxxx TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION NOTICES ARE ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE/: HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OS/NOTIF.HTM $$ NNNN
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