20020403: Marine Program Directives-ADMIN NOTICE NOUS41 KWBC (fwd)

• To: nws-changes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Subject: 20020403: Marine Program Directives-ADMIN NOTICE NOUS41 KWBC (fwd)
• From: Linda Miller <lmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Wed, 03 Apr 2002 15:20:14 -0700

139
NOUS41 KWBC 032129
PNSWSH

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 02-21
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
430 PM EST WED APR 3 2002

TO:       FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/ SUBSCRIBERS...NOAA WEATHER
          WIRE SERVICE /NWWS/ SUBSCRIBERS...EMERGENCY MANAGERS
          WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK /EMWIN/ SUBSCRIBERS...
          NOAAPORT SUBSCRIBERS...OTHER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
          /NWS/ CUSTOMERS AND PARTNERS...NWS EMPLOYEES

FROM:     THERESE PIERCE
          CHIEF...MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH

SUBJECT:  UPDATED MARINE PROGRAM DIRECTIVES...EFFECTIVE
          MAY 21 2002

AN ENTIRELY NEW NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ SET OF MARINE
POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR NWS OFFICES WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE
MAY 21 2002 AT 0000 COORDINATED UNIVERSAL TIME /UTC/.  THIS IS
PART OF AN OVERALL NWS EFFORT TO UPDATE AND REORGANIZE NWS
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ACCORDING TO A NEW NWS DIRECTIVES SYSTEM
BY SEPTEMBER 2002.  AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE...THE NEW DIRECTIVES
WILL REPLACE AND SUPERCEDE THE CURRENT WEATHER SERVICE OPERATIONS
MANUAL /WSOM/ CHAPTERS.  AS THEY ARE APPROVED...THE NEW
DIRECTIVES AND ASSOCIATED PROCEDURES WILL BE POSTED ON THE
INTERNET AT /USE LOWER CASE/:

     HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/DIRECTIVES/INDEX.HTM

THE NEW MARINE DIRECTIVE AND ASSOCIATED PROCEDURES DESCRIBED
BELOW ARE NOW AVAILABLE ON THE WEB PAGE SHOWN ABOVE...BY CLICKING
ON "10 - OPERATIONS AND SERVICES".

THE MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH HAS COMBINED INFORMATION
PREVIOUSLY CONTAINED IN WSOM CHAPTERS D-07...D-51...AND D-52 INTO
A NEW FORMAT.  BASIC POLICY IS CONTAINED IN NWS POLICY DIRECTIVE
10-3...ENTITLED "MARINE AND COASTAL WEATHER SERVICES"...WITH
PROCEDURES AND PRODUCTS DISCUSSED IN THE FOLLOWING NWS PROCEDURAL
INSTRUCTIONS:

     10-301    MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES ABBREVIATIONS AND
               DEFINITIONS
     10-302    MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES AREAS OF
               RESPONSIBILITY
     10-303    MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES STANDARDS AND
               GUIDELINES
     10-304    MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES
               COMMUNICATIONS...DISSEMINATION
     10-310    COASTAL MARINE FORECAST SERVICES
     10-311    OFFSHORE...NAVTEX...AND HIGH SEAS MARINE FORECAST
               SERVICES
     10-312    GREAT LAKES MARINE SERVICES
     10-313    SPECIAL MARINE WARNINGS
     10-314    MARINE WEATHER STATEMENTS
     10-330    OCEAN ICE SERVICES
     10-331    GREAT LAKES ICE SERVICES

OUTSIDE OF THE FORMAT CHANGE...THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN
THE NEW MARINE POLICY AND PROCEDURES ARE:

1.       FORECASTERS MAY NOW INCLUDE HURRICANE FORCE WIND WARNING
         HEADLINES FOR WINDS OF 64 KNOTS OR GREATER NOT ASSOCIATED
         WITH A TROPICAL CYCLONE.
2.       STANDARDIZED SHIP ICE WARNINGS AT 2 CM PER HOUR OR GREATER
         ACCUMULATION FOR ALL OF NORTH AMERICA.
3.       FORECASTERS WILL USE THE PERIOD FORMAT FOR ALL COASTAL...
         OFFSHORE...AND GREAT LAKES MARINE FORECASTS EXTENDING OUT TO
         5 DAYS.  THEY WILL NO LONGER ISSUE DISCRETE EXTENDED
         FORECASTS.
4.       FORECASTERS WILL INCLUDE WINDS AND SEAS IN ALL FORECAST
         PERIODS IN ALL MARINE FORECASTS.  HOWEVER...THEY MAY SHOW
         TREND FORECASTS OF THESE PHENOMENA IN LATER FORECAST PERIODS.
5.       FORECASTERS MAY USE SURF ZONE FORECASTS...A NEW PRODUCT...TO
         COVER THE AREA BETWEEN THE WATERS EDGE AND THE BEGINNING OF
         BREAKING WAVES.
6.       REGIONAL DIRECTORS MAY ALLOW COMBINED MARINE AND PUBLIC
         FORECASTS IN SELECTED ISLAND AREAS.
7.       FORECASTERS WILL TRUNCATE THE NAVTEX FORECAST AT 4 PERIODS TO
         BETTER ACCOMMODATE BROADCAST TRANSMISSION LIMITATIONS.
8.       GUIDANCE IS GIVEN FOR GRAPHIC FORECAST PRODUCTS.
9.       IN RESPONSE TO USER REQUESTS...FORECASTERS WILL CONTINUE
         ISSUING THE NEARSHORE FORECAST ON THE GREAT LAKES TO THE END
         OF THE SHIPPING SEASON IN DECEMBER.
10.      SPECIFIC GUIDANCE IS GIVEN ON HOW VOLCANIC ASH EVENTS IN
         MARINE ENVIRONS SHOULD BE HANDLED.
11.      WE HAVE PROVIDED A SET OF STANDARDS FOR NWS MARINE PROGRAM
         PERSONNEL.
12.      CERTAIN MARINE FORECAST AREAS...INCLUDING OFFSHORE AND
         COASTAL WATERS OF HAWAII...OFFSHORE WATERS OFF THE SOUTH
         ATLANTIC COAST...AND OFFSHORE WATERS SOUTH AND EAST OF THE
         LEEWARD AND WINDWARD ISLANDS...HAVE BEEN MODIFIED TO BE MORE
         CONSISTENT WITH OTHER NWS MARINE AREAS.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS...PLEASE CONTACT:

     MR. ROBERT W. JACOBSON JR.
     NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
     MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH
     1325 EAST-WEST HIGHWAY #13118
     SILVER SPRING MARYLAND  20910

     PHONE: /301/ 713-1677 EXTENSION 108 /M-F 730 AM - 400 PM/

THIS AND ALL OTHER PENDING NWS SERVICE CHANGE NOTIFICATIONS ARE
AVAILABLE ON THE NWS OFFICE OF CLIMATE...WATER...AND WEATHER
SERVICE/S HOME PAGE IN THE NOTIFICATION SECTION AT /USE LOWER
CASE/:

            HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM

END


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