20040301: Fire Weather Policy-ADMIN NOTICE NOUS41 KWBC (fwd)

• To: nws-changes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Subject: 20040301: Fire Weather Policy-ADMIN NOTICE NOUS41 KWBC (fwd)
• From: Linda Miller <lmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Mon, 01 Mar 2004 15:15:16 -0700

977
NOUS41 KWBC 012159
PNSWSH

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
500 PM EST MON MAR 01 2004

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...PARTNERS...AND USERS OF THE FIRE
         WEATHER FORECAST...NWS EMPLOYEES

FROM:     JAMES E. LEE
         CHIEF...FIRE AND PUBLIC WEATHER SERVICES BRANCH

SUBJECT:  AMENDED NOAA/NWS FIRE WEATHER SITE-SPECIFIC FORECAST
         POLICY...EFFECTIVE APRIL 1 2004

IN NOVEMBER OF 2003...THE AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY HOSTED
AN OPEN FORUM AT THE FIFTH SYMPOSIUM ON FIRE AND FOREST
METEOROLOGY IN ORLANDO FLORIDA.  THE PURPOSE WAS TO DISCUSS
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR ROLES IN PROVIDING FIRE WEATHER SITE-
SPECIFIC FORECAST SERVICES TO THE STATES AND OTHER NON-FEDERAL
ENTITIES...AND THE CURRENT STATUS OF THESE SERVICES.

THE FORUM WAS INSPIRED BY THE RECENT NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
REPORT "FAIR WEATHER: EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS IN WEATHER AND
CLIMATE SERVICES" /NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS...2003/...
HTTP://BOOKS.NAP.EDU/CATALOG/10610.HTML...WHICH RECOMMENDED THAT
ISSUES OF INTEREST TO THE ENTIRE WEATHER AND CLIMATE
ENTERPRISE...PARTICULARLY FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS...THE
PRIVATE SECTOR...AND ACADEMIA...BE DISCUSSED OPENLY IN A NEUTRAL
FORUM.

AFTER LISTENING TO PARTICIPANTS COMMENTS AND VIEWPOINTS...THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ CONCLUDED THAT THE CURRENT NWS
POLICY ON PROVIDING SITE-SPECIFIC FORECASTS WAS NOT BEING
IMPLEMENTED CONSISTENTLY ACROSS THE AGENCY.  THE NWS AGREED TO
AMEND THE CURRENT POLICY TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION AND IMPLEMENT
THE NEW POLICY BY APRIL 1 2004.  THE DRAFT POLICY THE NWS INTENDS
TO IMPLEMENT IS LOCATED AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:

    HTTP://FIRE.BOI.NOAA.GOV/POLICY/SITESPECIFICPOLICY2004.HTM

YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO SEND ANY SIGNIFICANT COMMENTS BY
MARCH 19 2004 TO:

         DAVID BILLINGSLEY
         NWS FIRE WEATHER PROGRAM MANAGER
         BOISE ID
         PHONE: 208-334-9824
         EMAIL: DAVID.BILLINGSLEY@xxxxxxxx

THE NWS WILL RE-EVALUATE THIS POLICY IN THE FALL AFTER THE 2004
TRADITIONAL FIRE SEASON.

THIS NOTICE AND OTHER NOTIFICATION MESSAGES ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE
AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:

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

$$

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