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NATIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION MESSAGE 94-14
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS
350 PM EDT TUE MAY 17 1994
TO: ALL NWS PRODUCT USERS
FROM: MARY C. NEWTON
ACTING CHIEF, SERVICES DEVELOPMENT BRANCH
SUBJECT: ULTRAVIOLET POTENTIAL (UVP) INDEX
(THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED BY RICHARD PRZYWARTY OF
THE OFFICE OF METEOROLOGY.)
The National Weather Service (NWS) is working in coordination
with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American
Meteorological Society (AMS) and private industry to develop an
experimental Ultraviolet Potential (UVP) Index guidance forecast.
A strong driver for the development of the UVP index is the need
to increase public awareness of the risks of over-exposure to the
sun's harmful rays.
The NWS is currently evaluating the scientific merit of the UVP
Index as well as providing input on outreach products to educate
the public on how to interpret the UVP. UVP Index brochures will
be provided jointly by the EPA, NWS and CDC.
The NWS hopes to begin a demonstration and evaluation project
which would involve the experimental release of a UVP index
forecast for a limited number of test sites for a designated
period of time. Our target date for the start of this
demonstration is July 1994. We plan to have background material
on the development and use of the index to the involved forecast
offices substantially before that time.
NWS OFFICES SHOULD DISREGARD ANY INFORMATION THEY RECEIVE ON THIS
PRODUCT THAT IS NOT DISTRIBUTED BY THE NWS.
All questions concerning the UVP index may be directed to
Jim Miller of the National Meteorological Center's Climate
Analysis Center. Jim can be reached on (301) 763-8071.
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