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-------- Original Message --------269 NOUS41 KWBC 081256
PNSWSH TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION NOTICE 09-17 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC 855 AM EDT FRI MAY 08 2009TO: SUBSCRIBERS:
-FAMILY OF SERVICES -NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE-EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK OTHER NWS PARTNERS...AND NWS EMPLOYEES
FROM: KEVIN SCHRAB CHIEF...OBSERVING SERVICES DIVISION SUBJECT: AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVING SYSTEM /ASOS/CEILOMETER REPLACEMENT BEGINNING MAY 13 2009 AT 2000 GMT.
THE FOLLOWING CHANGES HAVE NO DIRECT IMPACT ON NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE SUBSCRIBERS.
STARTING MAY 13 2009 AT 2000 GMT AT HILO HAWAII THE ASOS PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM WILL START DEPLOYING A REPLACEMENT CEILOMETER SKY CONDITION OBSERVING SENSOR. THE NEW SENSOR USES IMPROVED OPTICAL AND MECHANICAL DESIGNS THAT HELP IT SEE THROUGH FOG... HAZE AND PRECIPITATION TO DETECT THE CLOUD BASE. DURING THESE EVENTS THE CLOUD BASES FROM THE NEW CEILOMETER MAY BE REPORTED AT HIGHER LEVELS THAN THOSE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED FROM THE OLD CEILOMETER. ALL NWS AND FAA ASOS LOCATIONS WILL TRANSITION TO THE NEW CEILOMETER DATA UNTIL NATIONAL DEPLOYMENT OF THIS SENSOR IS COMPLETE.
A COMPARISON STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO EVALUATE ANY SENSOR PERFORMANCE CHANGES THAT MIGHT OCCUR DUE TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW CEILOMETER. THE CT12K AND CL31 CEILOMETER METEOROLOGICAL COMPARISON EVALUATION PLAN AND THE RESULTS OF THE EVALUATION ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT /USE LOWERCASE/:
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OPS2/OPS24/DOCUMENTS/ASOS_CEILOMETER.HTMTHERE IS NO CHANGE TO THE FORMAT USED TO REPORT THE SKY CONDITION INFORMATION IN ANY OF THE ASOS PRODUCTS OR MESSAGES. CLOUD LAYERS... HEIGHT AND SKY COVERAGE WILL CONTINUE TO BE REPORTED FROM THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH TO AN UPPER LEVEL OF 12000 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS...PLEASE CONTACT: LAURA A. COOK SURFACE OBSERVATIONS PROGRAM MANAGER 301-713-1792 X 126 LAURA.COOK@xxxxxxxx OR JOHN MONTE ASOS PLANNED PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM MANAGER 301-713-1975 X160 JOHN.MONTE@xxxxxxxx. OR
DAVID MANNARANO OFFICE OF OPERATIONAL SYSTEMS 301-713-2093 X 103 DAVID.MANNARANO@xxxxxxxxNATIONAL TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION NOTICES ARE ONLINE AT /USE LOWERCASE/: HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/NOTIF.HTM $$
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