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FYI: Linda Miller External Programs Coordinator Telephone: (303) 497-8646 UCAR/Unidata Program Center Fax: (303) 497-8690 P.O. Box 3000 E-mail: lmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Boulder, CO 80307-3000 http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/ DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Weather Service Transfer of Specific Products and Services to the Private Sector AGENCY: National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This notice publishes the National Weather Service's plan to transfer Agricultural Weather Services, Fire Weather Services to non- Federal agencies for non-wildfire activities, distribution of weather charts to marine radiofacsimile broadcast stations, and the production of the National Weather Summary to the private sector effective October 1, 1995. As part of this plan, the Director of U.S. Private Weather Services will be made available to ensure a smooth transfer of these products and services to the private sector. DATES: The date this action will become effective is October 1, 1995. ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of documents stated within this Notice as being available upon request should be sent to the National Weather Service, Industrial Meteorology Staff, 1325 East-West Highway, #18462, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edward Gross, 301-713-0258. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Fiscal year 1996 budget proposals include reductions in funding to the National Weather Service (NWS) which will result in the elimination of the following NWS services: Agricultural Weather Services, Fire Weather Services to non-Federal agencies for non-wildfire activities, distribution of weather charts to marine radiofacsimile broadcast stations, and the National Weather Summary. The NWS will be required to terminate products and services in these areas. This statement will notify users of those products and services that they will not be available after September 30, 1995. The Agricultural Weather Services and Fruit Frost Programs will be eliminated entirely. The following NWS products will no longer be available from the NOAA Weather Wire Service, the Family of Services, or via the NOAA Weather Radio: Agricultural Weather Forecast Fruit Frost Forecast Special Agricultural Weather Advisory Weather Advisory for Ag Operations Agricultural Observations 30-day Agricultural Weather Outlook International Weather and Crop Summary National Agricultural Weather Highlights Agricultural Weather Guidance Cranberry Bog Forecasts In addition, seven NWS offices providing Agricultural Weather Services exclusively will close. These offices are: AWSC College Station, Texas AWSC Stoneville, Mississippi AWSC Auburn, Alabama AWSC West Lafayette, Indiana WSO Yuma, Arizona WSO Twin Falls, Idaho WSO Riverside, California Fire Weather Services to non-Federal agencies will be reduced. The following products and services will no longer be available to state and local fire management agencies: Spot forecasts for prescribed burning Spot forecasts for non-fire forest management activities (i.e., spraying, etc.) Land Management forecasts Transport and stability forecasts for smoke management Consultation and liaison for non-wildfire activities Some offices that provide Fire Weather Services exclusively or a combination of Fire Weather and Agricultural Weather Services may be closed or consolidated. Meteorological support directly related to wildfire suppression will continue to be provided to all agencies. This support includes presuppression forecasts, National Fire Danger Rating System forecasts, fire weather watches, red flag warnings, incident response, and fire weather training for fire fighters. Currently, the NWS issues marine weather charts and transmits them to six marine radio stations for scheduled broadcast via radiofacsimile over frequencies in the maritime mobile radio spectrum. After September 30, 1995, the NWS will cease transmitting weather charts to the six marine radio stations (station operator noted in parentheses), as follows: NMF--Marshfield, Massachusetts (U.S. Coast Guard) NMC--Pt. Reyes, California (U.S. Coast Guard) NOJ--Kodiak, Alaska (U.S. Coast Guard) WLO--Mobile, Alabama (Mobile Marine Radio, Inc.) KVM70--Honolulu, Hawaii (Federal Aviation Administration) WLC--Rogers City, Michigan (Central Radio, Inc.) The NWS will continue issuing the marine weather charts in conjunction with U.S. obligations under the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea. Private-sector vendors (including the private marine radio stations WLO and WLC listed above) may access the charts from the NWS at no cost to the Government and disseminate them to the maritime community via radiofacsimile broadcast or other methods. The U.S. Navy broadcasts weather charts (produced by Naval meteorological echelons) from Cutler, Maine, (NAM); Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, (NPM); and Guam (NPN). Although intended for fleet support, these broadcasts are accessible by civilian users over open radio frequencies. These broadcasts will continue beyond October 1, 1995, as plans for conversion to encrypted fleet broadcasts have been delayed. The NWS will also cease production of the National Weather Summary. In order to ensure a smooth transfer of these products and services to the private sector, the Directory of U.S. Private Weather Services has been published. The Directory is intended as information with no implied endorsements. Requests for further information can be addressed directly to the individuals or companies. The names, addresses, and phone numbers in the Directory represent an initial compilation of private-sector meteorologists, as well as private weather service companies that provide commercial agricultural weather services and basic forecasting services which could also serve the needs of the non-Federal wildfire area community. The American Meteorological Society, the National Weather Association, and the Commercial Weather Services Association provided private-sector individuals and companies from their respective memberships. This Directory will be updated in the coming months as new listings and corrections are received and may be obtained from the address above. Dated: July 28, 1995. Elbert W. Friday, Jr., Assistant Administrator for Weather Services. [FR Doc. 95-16376 Filed 7-3-95; 8:45 am] _____________________ Linda Miller External Programs Coordinator Telephone: (303) 497-8646 UCAR/Unidata Program Center Fax: (303) 497-8690 P.O. Box 3000 E-mail: lmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Boulder, CO 80307-3000 http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/
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