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PNSWSH SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 07-51...CORRECTEDNATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC 212 PM EDT THU OCT 11 2007 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/ PARTNERS AND OTHER USERS...NWS EMPLOYEES FROM: THERESE Z. PIERCE CHIEF...MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH SUBJECT: CORRECTED: CHANGE TO TSUNAMI WARNING...WATCH...ADVISORY AND INFORMATION STATEMENT DEFINITIONS FOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY THE WEST COAST/ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER: EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 12 2008 CORRECTED TO REPEAT EFFECTIVE DATE OF FEBRUARY 12 2008 IN PARAGRAPH DISCUSSING TABLE 1.
EFFECTIVE TUESDAY FEBRUARY 12 2008 AT 1800 COORDINATED UNIVERSAL TIME...THE DEFINITIONS USED FOR TSUNAMI PRODUCTS ISSUED BY THE WEST COAST/ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER /WC/ATWC/ WILL BE REVISED TO PROVIDE BETTER INDICATION OF EXPECTED TSUNAMI IMPACT LEVEL AND TO MORE CLOSELY ALIGN TSUNAMI PRODUCTS TO OTHER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ WARNING/WATCH/ADVISORY PRODUCT SUITES.
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT REVISION IS TO THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY DEFINITION. THE NEW ADVISORY STATES A TSUNAMI IS EXPECTED THAT COULD BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE IN OR NEAR THE WATER...BUT NO SIGNIFICANT INUNDATION IS EXPECTED. CURRENTLY A TSUNAMI ADVISORY STATES A WATCH OR WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ANOTHER PART OF THE OCEAN BASIN...AND IT HAS NO RELATION TO POTENTIAL DANGER LEVEL.
IN SITUATIONS WHERE A TSUNAMI WARNING...WATCH OR ADVISORY IS ISSUED FOR ANOTHER AREA OF THE OCEAN AND THERE IS NO DANGER WITHIN THE WC/ATWC AREA OF RESPONSIBITY...TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED BY WC/ATWC.
THE REVISED TSUNAMI WARNING...WATCH...ADVISORY AND INFORMATION STATEMENT DEFINITIONS ARE LOCATED IN TABLE 1.
TABLE 1. REVISED TSUNAMI WARNING...ADVISORY...WATCH AND INFORMATION STATEMENT DEFINITIONS EFFECTIVE TUESDAY FEBRUARY 12 2008.
TSUNAMI WARNING: A TSUNAMI WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN A POTENTIAL TSUNAMI WITH SIGNIFICANT WIDESPREAD INUNDATION IS IMMINENT OR EXPECTED. WARNINGS ALERT THE PUBLIC THAT WIDESPREAD... DANGEROUS COASTAL FLOODING ACCOMPANIED BY POWERFUL CURRENTS IS POSSIBLE AND MAY CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS AFTER ARRIVAL OF THE INITIAL WAVE. WARNINGS ALSO ALERT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS TO TAKE ACTION FOR THE ENTIRE TSUNAMI HAZARD ZONE. APPROPRIATE ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY LOCAL OFFICIALS MAY INCLUDE THE EVACUATION OF LOW- LYING COASTAL AREAS AND REPOSITIONING SHIPS TO DEEP WATERS WHEN THERE IS TIME TO SAFELY DO SO. WARNINGS MAY BE UPDATED... ADJUSTED GEOGRAPHICALLY...DOWNGRADED...OR CANCELED. TO PROVIDE THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE ALERT...INITIAL WARNINGS ARE NORMALLY BASED ONLY ON SEISMIC INFORMATION.
TSUNAMI WATCH: A TSUNAMI WATCH IS ISSUED TO ALERT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND THE PUBLIC OF AN EVENT THAT MAY LATER IMPACT THE WATCH AREA. THE WATCH AREA MAY BE UPGRADED TO A WARNING OR ADVISORY - OR CANCELED - BASED ON UPDATED INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS. THEREFORE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND THE PUBLIC SHOULD PREPARE TO TAKE ACTION. WATCHES ARE NORMALLY ISSUED BASED ON SEISMIC INFORMATION WITHOUT CONFIRMATION THAT A DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI IS UNDERWAY.
TSUNAMI ADVISORY: A TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS ISSUED FOR THE THREAT OF A POTENTIAL TSUNAMI THAT MAY PRODUCE STRONG CURRENTS OR WAVES DANGEROUS TO THOSE IN OR NEAR THE WATER. COASTAL REGIONS HISTORICALLY PRONE TO DAMAGE DUE TO STRONG CURRENTS INDUCED BY TSUNAMIS ARE AT THE GREATEST RISK. THE THREAT MAY CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS AFTER THE ARRIVAL OF THE INITIAL WAVE... BUT SIGNIFICANT WIDESPREAD INUNDATION IS NOT EXPECTED FOR AREAS UNDER AN ADVISORY. APPROPRIATE ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY LOCAL OFFICIALS MAY INCLUDE CLOSING BEACHES... EVACUATING HARBORS AND MARINAS... AND REPOSITIONING SHIPS TO DEEP WATERS WHEN THERE IS TIME TO SAFELY DO SO. ADVISORIES ARE NORMALLY UPDATED TO CONTINUE THE ADVISORY... EXPAND/CONTRACT AFFECTED AREAS... UPGRADE TO A WARNING... OR CANCEL THE ADVISORY.
TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT: A TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT IS ISSUED TO INFORM EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND THE PUBLIC THAT AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED... OR THAT A TSUNAMI WARNING... WATCH OR ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ANOTHER SECTION OF THE OCEAN. IN MOST CASES INFORMATION STATEMENTS ARE ISSUED TO INDICATE THERE IS NO THREAT OF A DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI AND TO PREVENT UNNECESSARY EVACUATIONS BECAUSE THE EARTHQUAKE MAY HAVE BEEN FELT IN COASTAL AREAS. AN INFORMATION STATEMENT MAY...IN APPROPRIATE SITUATIONS...CAUTION ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF DESTRUCTIVE LOCAL TSUNAMIS. INFORMATION STATEMENTS MAY BE REISSUED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...THOUGH NORMALLY THESE MESSAGES ARE NOT UPDATED. HOWEVER...A WATCH...ADVISORY OR WARNING MAY BE ISSUED FOR THE AREA...IF NECESSARY...AFTER ANALYSIS AND/OR UPDATED INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.
THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PRODUCT TYPE LINES AND PRODUCT COMMUNICATIONS IDENTIFIERS REMAIN THE SAME. FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT TSUNAMI PRODUCTS AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE WC/ATWC CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:
HTTP://WCATWC.ARH.NOAA.GOV
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS...PLEASE CONTACT:
PAUL WHITMORE
WEST COAST AND ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
910 SOUTH FELTON STREET
PALMER AK 99645
PHONE 907-745-4212
EMAIL: PAUL.WHITMORE@xxxxxxxx
THIS NOTICE AND OTHER SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE
AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM $$ NNNN
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