NOTE: The nws-changes mailing list is no longer active. The list archives are made available for historical reasons.
Posted: Thu, Aug 19, 1993 2:27 PM EDT Msg: NGJD-5854-5882
Subj: changes in western states' zones eff 10/1/93
WSHPNSWSH
ADMN81 KWBC 191803
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
200 PM EDT THU AUG 19 1993
TO: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (NWS) EMPLOYEES, FAMILY OF
SERVICES (FOS) SUBSCRIBERS, NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE
(NWWS) SUBSCRIBERS, OTHER NWS PRODUCT USERS
FROM: DONALD R. WERNLY, CHIEF, WARNING AND FORECAST BRANCH,
OFFICE OF METEOROLOGY, NWS HEADQUARTERS
On October 1, 1993, at 1200 Coordinated Universal Time,
(5 a.m. PDT, 6 a.m. MDT), standardized formats will be used for
"spot" temperature and probability of precipitation (PoP)
forecasts issued in certain western states' zone forecasts. This
will allow users to adapt any procedures to more conveniently
disseminate the forecasts.
In zone forecasts for states listed below, spot forecasts are
provided after the period-by-period text in lieu of such
information in the text. This is done in geographically diverse
zones of sparse population and human activity.
State Issuing Office AFOS/NWWS ID WMO HEADER
New Mexico Albuquerque ABQZFPNM FPUS5 KABQ
Montana Great Falls GTFZFPMT FPUS5 KGTF
Utah Salt Lake City SLCZFPUT FPUS5 KSLC
Arizona Phoenix PHXZFPAZ FPUS5 KPHX
Nevada Reno RNOZFPNV FPUS5 KRNO
Oregon Portland PDXZFPOR FPUS5 KPDX
Washington Seattle SEAZFPWA FPUS5 KSEA
Idaho Boise BOIZFPID FPUS5 KBOI
Each tabular spot forecast section begins with ".<". There are
several possible examples of formats used:
EXAMPLE 1. Temperature and POP forecasts:
.TONIGHT...(text)
.TUESDAY...(text)
.TUESDAY NIGHT...(text)
.WEDNESDAY...(text)
.< TEMPERATURE / PRECIPITATION
PAGE 38 56 41 53 30 50 10 20
NAVAJO N.M. 23 45 28 42 10 20 20 20
There is a solidus (/) in the ".<" line separating the two terms.
A label which defines the valid periods may be included as shown
below. The label is placed on a second line starting with ".<".
Note that Optional pass temperature forecasts may be included.
.< TEMPERATURE / PRECIPITATION
.< TNT TUE NGT WED / TNT TUE NGT WED
PAGE 38 56 41 53 / 30 50 10 20
NAVAJO N.M. 23 45 28 42 / 10 20 20 20
8000 FT LEVEL 12 44 12 45
PASS TEMPERATURES
EXAMPLE 2. Temperature forecasts only: The same variations in
labeling are allowed as described in the previous example. Note
the double solidus (//) in the ".<" line for use with two
columns.
.< TEMPERATURE // TEMPERATURE
BLANDING 34 59 34 64 // ST GEORGE 45 102 45 88
KANAB 33 66 34 67 // BULLFROG 44 99 45 77
EXAMPLE 3. Some spots with both temperature and POP forecasts
and others with only temperature forecasts: The same variations
in labeling are allowed as described in the previous examples.
.< TEMPERATURE / PRECIPITATION
TWIN FALLS 45 77 39 63 / 80 40 70 40
BURLEY 32 76 39 61 / 80 40 50 60
JEROME 34 79 45 88
RUPERT 31 56 34 67
OTHER NOTES:
Denver will discontinue spot forecasts in Colorado at 6 a.m. MDT
October 1 with the start of their reconfigured downsized zones.
Salt Lake City will continue their practice of providing PoPs for
Salt Lake City and Cedar City as a separate line of text.
Los Angeles will continue to provide temperature forecasts for
Death Valley as a separate line of text to California zone 19.
Portland, OR may incorporate the following tabular forecasts
after the text in their mountain zones for non-precipitation
events:
.< PASS TEMPERATURE / FREEZING LEVEL
20 35 18 32 / 4500 4500 4000 4000
During precipitation events with a snow level, Portland OR may
continue to incorporate this information in the text of the
forecast and not produce the tabular data above (e.g.,
.TONIGHT...RAIN AND SNOW. SNOW LEVEL 5000 FEET.).
Albuquerque may use the letters L, M, U, and N prefixing spot
temperature forecasts to abbreviate lower, mid, upper, and near,
respectively (e.g., L60S, M40S, U90S, N60 etc.).
For further information, please contact the issuing office(s).
END
nws-changes archives: