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013 NOUS41 KWBC 242138 PNSWSH PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 03-61 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC 530 PM EDT WED SEP 24 2003 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 Z. PIERCE CHIEF...MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH SUBJECT MODIFICATIONS TO MARINE ZONE BOUNDARIES IN ALASKA AND FORMAT AND COMMUNICATIONS HEADING CHANGES TO THE COASTAL WATERS FORECAST PRODUCTS IN ALASKA...EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 19 2003 AND DECEMBER 16 2003 AT 4 PM ALASKA STANDARD TIME /AST/ ACTION...USERS OF NWS MARINE FORECASTS AND WARNINGS ORIGINATING FROM ALASKA MUST UPDATE THEIR COMMUNICATION SYSTEM DIRECTORIES TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THESE PRODUCTS. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ WEATHER FORECAST OFFICES /WFO/ IN ALASKA WILL IMPLEMENT CHANGES TO THE MARINE ZONE BOUNDARIES IN THEIR AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY THIS FALL. THE CHANGES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN TWO PHASES. WFO JUNEAU WILL IMPLEMENT MOST OF THEIR CHANGES FIRST...FOLLOWED BY WFO ANCHORAGE AND WFO FAIRBANKS...ON THE FOLLOWING DATES. WFO JUNEAU COASTAL WATERS WED. NOVEMBER 19 2003 4 PM AST WFO JUNEAU OFFSHORE WATERS TUE. DECEMBER 16 2003 4 PM AST WFO ANCHORAGE TUE. DECEMBER 16 2003 4 PM AST WFO FAIRBANKS TUE. DECEMBER 16 2003 4 PM AST THE NEW ZONE NUMBERS AND GEOGRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS ARE LISTED IN TABLE 2...AND PRODUCTS AFFECTED BY THESE CHANGES ARE LISTED IN TABLE 3. AN UPDATED ZONE MAP SHAPEFILE CONTAINING THE REALIGNED ZONES IS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD FROM THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/... WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/GEODATA/CATALOG/WSOM/HTML/MARINEZONES.HTM /FILES WILL BE POSTED TO THE ABOVE SITE THURSDAY SEPT. 25TH/ AND HTTP://WWW.ARH.NOAA.GOV/CHANGES FOR PARTNERS AND CUSTOMERS WHO USE MARINE ZONE NUMBERS AS LOCATION CODES FOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO /NWR/ AND EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM /EAS/ APPLICATIONS...THE COASTAL AND OFFSHORE MARINE CODE LISTINGS FOR NWR AND EAS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/... WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/GEODATA/CATALOG/WSOM/HTML/MARINENWREAS.HTM ALSO...THE COASTAL WATERS FORECAST /CWF/ AND OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST /OFF/ TEXT PRODUCTS ISSUED IN ALASKA WILL BE MODIFIED. PRODUCT CHANGES WILL INCLUDE UPDATING THE FORMAT...DIVIDING THE CONTENTS INTO NEW COLLECTIVES...AND MODERNIZING THE WMO HEADINGS AND AWIPS IDS. ONCE IMPLEMENTED... THESE CWF PRODUCTS WILL CONFORM TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INSTRUCTION /NWSI/ 10-310... ENTITLED COASTAL MARINE FORECAST SERVICES...AND NWSI 10-311... ENTITLED OFFSHORE NAVTEX AND HIGH SEAS MARINE FORECAST SERVICES. THE CWF AND OFF FORMAT CHANGES WILL INVOLVE MODIFYING THE WAY THE TEXT OF THE FORECAST IS PRESENTED. A FIVE DAY FORECAST WILL BE GIVEN FOR EACH MARINE AREA AND IT WILL BE PRESENTED IN A STRUCTURED PERIOD-BY-PERIOD FORMAT. THIS FORMAT USES THE DAYS OF THE WEEK TO DESCRIBE EACH PERIOD EXCEPT THE CURRENT DAY...WHICH IS DESCRIBED AS TODAY OR TONIGHT. ADVISORY AND WARNING CONDITIONS WILL BE HEADLINED AT THE TOP OF THE FORECAST FOR EACH MARINE ZONE. CURRENTLY...THE FORECAST FOR THE FIRST TWO DAYS IS WRITTEN IN A NARRATIVE FORMAT THAT DESCRIBES THE TIMING OF MAJOR CHANGES IN WEATHER CONDITIONS RATHER THAN PROVIDING FORECASTS FOR STANDARDIZED TIME PERIODS. A THREE TO FIVE DAY EXTENDED FORECAST IS PROVIDED SEPARATELY...USUALLY ENCOMPASSING MORE THAN ONE FORECAST ZONE. THE WEATHER PARAMETERS INCLUDED IN THE MARINE FORECASTS /WIND DIRECTION AND SPEED...WAVE HEIGHT...AND SIGNIFICANT WEATHER/ WILL NOT CHANGE. THE ONLY CHANGE RELATING TO CONTENT IS THE EXPANSION OF EXTENDED FORECAST INFORMATION FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL MARINE AREA. THE WMO HEADINGS AND AWIPS IDS FOR THE CWF PRODUCTS AND OFF PRODUCTS ARE ALSO BEING UPDATED DURING THIS TRANSITION. THESE CHANGES ARE SHOWN IN TABLE 1. TABLE 1. WMO HEADING AND AWIPS ID CHANGES THE COASTAL WATERS FORECASTS AND OFFSHORE MARINE FORECASTS IN ALASKA. /NOTE: SOME OLD COLLECTIVES WILL BE DIVIDED INTO TWO OR THREE NEW ONES DUE TO INCREASING PRODUCT LENGTH. ALSO...WMO HEADINGS FOR CWF PRODUCTS ISSUED BY WFO ANCHORAGE WERE MODERNIZED IN SEPTEMBER 2003...SO THEY ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS LIST./ OLD OLD NEW NEW CHANGE WMO HEADING AWIPS ID WMO HEADING AWIPS ID DATE FZAK61 PAJN CWF061 FZAK51 PAJK CWFAJK 11/19/03 FZAK52 PAJK CWFAEG 11/19/03 FZAK47 PAYA CWFYAK FZAK57 PAYA CWFYAK 11/19/03 FZAK48 PADQ CWFADQ FZAK58 PADQ CWFADQ 12/16/03 FZAK48 PAVD CWFVDZ FZAK58 PAVW CWFVDZ 12/16/03 FZPN01 PANC OFFANC FZAK67 PAJK OFFAJK 12/16/03 FZAK61 PAFC OFFAER 12/16/03 FZAK62 PAFC OFFALU 12/16/03 FZAK66 PAFA CWF066 FZAK59 PAFG CWFAFG 12/16/03 TABLE 2. MARINE ZONES IN EACH WFO GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY WITH CORRESPONDING UNIVERSAL GEOGRAPHIC CODES /UGC/. ...WFO JUNEAU... ZONE NAME UGC PRODUCT SYNOPSIS FOR INSIDE WATERS PKZ098 FZAK51 PAJK GLACIER BAY PKZ011 NORTHERN LYNN CANAL PKZ012 SOUTHERN LYNN CANAL PKZ013 ICY STRAIT PKZ021 CROSS SOUND PKZ022 STEPHENS PASSAGE PKZ031 NORTHERN CHATHAM STRAIT PKZ032 SOUTHERN CHATHAM STRAIT PKZ033 FREDERICK SOUND PKZ034 SUMNER STRAIT PKZ035 CLARENCE STRAIT PKZ036 SYNOPSIS FOR OUTSIDE WATERS PKZ099 FZAK52 PAJK DIXON ENTRANCE TO CAPE DECISION PKZ041 CAPE DECISION TO CAPE EDGECUMBE PKZ042 CAPE EDGECUMBE TO CAPE FAIRWEATHER PKZ043 CAPE FAIRWEATHER TO ICY CAPE PKZ051 ICY CAPE TO CAPE SUCKLING PKZ052 SYNOPSIS FOR EASTERN GULF OF AK PKZ398 FZAK67 PAJK GULF OF ALASKA NORTH OF 55 DEGREES NORTH AND EAST OF 144 DEGREES WEST PKZ310 ...WSO YAKUTAT... ZONE NAME UGC PRODUCT SYNOPSIS FOR YAKUTAT BAY PKZ097 FZAK57 PAYA YAKUTAT BAY PKZ053 ...WFO ANCHORAGE... ZONE NAME UGC PRODUCT SYNOPSIS FOR THE NORTH GULF COAST PKZ197 FZAK51 PAFC CAPE SUCKLING TO GORE POINT PKZ120 RESURRECTION BAY PKZ121 PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND PKZ125 PASSAGE CANAL PKZ129 BARREN ISLANDS AND KAMISHAK BAY PKZ130 KODIAK ISLAND WATERS GORE POINT TO SITKINAK PKZ132 SHELIKOF STRAIT PKZ138 COOK INLET NORTH OF KAMISHAK AND ENGLISH BAY PKZ140 KACHEMAK BAY PKZ141 SYNOPSIS FOR SOUTHWEST ALASKA AND THE ALEUTIANS PKZ199 FZAK52 PAFC SITKINAK TO CASTLE CAPE PKZ150 CASTLE CAPE TO CAPE SARICHEF PKZ155 CAPE NEWENHAM TO PORT HEIDEN PKZ160 PORT HEIDEN TO CAPE SARICHEF PKZ165 CAPE NEWENHAM TO DALL POINT PKZ180 CAPE SARICHEF TO NIKOLSKI PKZ170 UNALASKA BAY PKZ171 NIKOLSKI TO ADAK PKZ172 ADAK TO KISKA PKZ175 KISKA TO ATTU PKZ176 PRIBILOF ISLANDS PKZ179 ST MATTHEW ISLAND PKZ185 SYNOPSIS FOR WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA PKZ399 FZAK61 PAFC GULF OF ALASKA NORTH OF 55 DEGREES NORTH AND WEST OF 144 DEGREES WEST PKZ350 SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA PKZ499 FZAK62 PAFC SOUTH CENTRAL BERING SEA EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE PKZ410 ...WSO KODIAK... ZONE NAME UGC PRODUCT SYNOPSIS FOR CHINIAK AND MARMOT BAYS PKZ198 FZAK58 PADQ CHINIAK BAY PKZ136 MARMOT BAY PKZ137 ...WSO VALDEZ... ZONE NAME UGC PRODUCT SYNOPSIS FOR VALDEZ PORT NARROWS AND ARM PKZ196 FZAK58 PAVW PORT OF VALDEZ PKZ126 VALDEZ NARROWS PKZ127 VALDEZ ARM PKZ128 ...WFO FAIRBANKS... ZONE NAME UGC PRODUCT SYNOPSIS FOR WESTERN ALASKA AND THE ARCTIC COAST PKZ299 FZAK59 PAFG NORTON SOUND PKZ290 DALL POINT TO WALES PKZ295 KOTZEBUE SOUND PKZ200 WALES TO CAPE LISBURNE PKZ205 CAPE LISBURNE TO CAPE HALKETT PKZ210 CAPE HALKETT TO DEMARCATION POINT PKZ215 TABLE 3. ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY NEW MARINE ZONES AND UGCS. PRODUCT NAME WMO HEADINGS AWIPS IDS SPECIAL MARINE WARNING WHAK57 PAJK SMWAJK WHAK51 PAFC SMWAER WHAK52 PAFC SMWALU WHAK59 PAFG SMWAFG MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT FZAK87 PAJK MWSAJK FZAK81 PAFC MWSAER FZAK82 PAFC MWSALU FZAK89 PAFG MWSAFG IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT ALL USERS OF NWS MARINE FORECASTS AND WARNINGS ORIGINATING FROM ALASKA MAKE SURE THAT THEIR COMMUNICATION SYSTEM DIRECTORIES EXACTLY MATCH THE HEADINGS LISTED IN TABLE 1. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL PREVENT THESE PRODUCTS FROM REACHING THEIR INTENDED AUDIENCE. NWS CUSTOMERS WHO AUTOMATICALLY PROCESS PRODUCTS LISTED IN TABLE 3 USING THE Z FORM OF THE UNIVERSAL GEOGRAPHIC CODE /UGC/ MAY NEED TO PROGRAM THE NEW Z CODES INTO THEIR SYSTEM/S/ TO CONTINUE TO PROCESS THE PRODUCTS. A WEB PAGE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED TO ALLOW USERS TO TEST THE CHANGES TO ENSURE THEY CAN DECODE THE MODIFIED PRODUCT CORRECTLY. SEE EXAMPLES AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/... HTTP://WWW.ARH.NOAA.GOV/CHANGES ALL OTHER ALASKA REGION WEATHER FORECAST OFFICES WILL MODERNIZE THEIR COASTAL MARINE FORECASTS AND OFFSHORE MARINE FORECASTS WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. LOOK FOR FUTURE SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES REGARDING THESE CHANGES. NWSI 10-310 AND 10-311 ARE AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/... WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/DIRECTIVES CLICK ON 10-OPERATIONS AND SERVICES...AND THEN SCROLL DOWN AND CLICK ON 10-310 COASTAL MARINE FORECAST SERVICES OR 10-311 OFFSHORE NAVTEX AND HIGH SEAS MARINE FORECAST SERVICES. PARTNERS/CUSTOMERS SHOULD NOTIFY THE FOLLOWING POINT OF CONTACT IF THEY BELIEVE THE CHANGES WILL ADVERSELY IMPACT THEIR OPERATIONS...OR IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THIS CHANGE... AIMEE DEVARIS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALASKA REGION MARINE PROGRAM MANAGER ANCHORAGE AK PHONE 907.271.3507 E-MAIL AIMEE.DEVARIS@xxxxxxxx THIS NOTICE AND OTHER SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/... WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM $$ ---------- End Forwarded Message ----------
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