20010928: Flood outlook prods-ADMIN NOTICE NOUS41 KWBC (fwd)

• To: nws-changes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Subject: 20010928: Flood outlook prods-ADMIN NOTICE NOUS41 KWBC (fwd)
• From: Linda Miller <lmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2001 09:11:56 -0600

596
NOUS41 KWBC 281441
PNSWSH

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 01-55
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
1045 AM EDT FRI SEP 28 2001

TO:       FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/ SUBSCRIBERS...NOAA WEATHER
          WIRE SERVICE /NWWS/ SUBSCRIBERS...EMERGENCY MANAGERS
          WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK /EMWIN/ SUBSCRIBERS...
          OTHER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ CUSTOMERS AND
          PARTNERS...NWS EMPLOYEES

FROM:     THOMAS GRAZIANO
          CHIEF...SERVICES BRANCH HYDROLOGIC SERVICES DIVISION

SUBJECT:  RETRANSMITTED - NEW FLOOD OUTLOOK PRODUCT...SECOND
          STAGE OF TESTING BEGINS OCTOBER 1 2001

...THIS NEW GRAPHICAL PRODUCT IS NOT AVAILABLE ON NOAA WEATHER
WIRE SERVICE...

THIS NOTICE UPDATES EARLIER STATEMENTS ISSUED ON AUGUST 1 AND
AUGUST 23 24 27 AND 28 2001 /SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 01-40/.  THIS
SAME MESSAGE WAS FIRST TRANSMITTED THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 27 2001 AT
2035 UTC.

ON SEPTEMBER 1 2001...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BEGAN THE
FIRST STAGE OF TESTING A NEW GRAPHICAL FLOOD OUTLOOK PRODUCT.
THIS PRODUCT IDENTIFIES AREAS ACROSS THE NATION WHERE THERE IS A
POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT RIVER FLOODING OVER THE SUBSEQUENT FIVE
DAYS.

THIS PRODUCT IS INTENDED TO ALERT EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND OTHERS
THAT A POTENTIAL FOR RIVER FLOODING EXISTS.  OFFICIAL FLOOD
WARNINGS AND FORECASTS WILL CONTINUE TO BE ISSUED BY THE WEATHER
FORECAST OFFICES /WFO/.  THE WEB-BASED PRODUCT WILL PROVIDE AN
ENTRY POINT FOR USERS SEEKING MORE DETAILED HYDROLOGIC
INFORMATION PROVIDED BY RIVER FORECAST CENTERS AND WEATHER
FORECAST OFFICES.

SIGNIFICANT FLOODING IS DEFINED AS FLOODING THAT ADVERSELY
AFFECTS ROADS...RESIDENTIAL...COMMERCIAL...INDUSTRIAL...AND/OR
AGRICULTURAL AREAS AND MAY REQUIRE THE EVACUATION OF PEOPLE
AND/OR LIVESTOCK.  THIS NEW OUTLOOK WILL FOCUS ON FLOODING ALONG
RIVERS AND DOES NOT ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING.

DURING THE FIRST STAGE /WHICH EXTENDS FROM SEPTEMBER 1 TO 30
2001/...INDIVIDUAL OUTLOOKS ARE BEING PROVIDED BY FOUR RIVER
FORECAST CENTERS /RFC/ SERVING COASTAL STATES FROM TEXAS TO
NEW JERSEY.  THEY CONSIST OF INTERNET-BASED GRAPHICS SHOWING
AREAS WHERE SIGNIFICANT FLOODING IS CONSIDERED POSSIBLE OR LIKELY
AS WELL AS WHERE IT IS IMMINENT OR ALREADY OCCURRING.

OUTLOOKS PRODUCED DURING THE FIRST STAGE OF TESTING ARE AVAILABLE
AT THE FOLLOWING WEB ADDRESSES /USE LOWER CASE/:

MIDDLE ATLANTIC RIVER FORECAST CENTER

     HTTP://MARFCHP1.MET.PSU.EDU/FOP

SOUTHEAST RIVER FORECAST CENTER

     HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/SERFC/FOP

LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER FORECAST CENTER

     HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/LMRFC/FOP

WEST GULF RIVER FORECAST CENTER

     HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/WGRFC/FOP/WGRFCFOP.HTML


A SECOND STAGE OF TESTING IS PLANNED TO START ON OCTOBER 1 WHEN
ALL RIVER FORECAST CENTERS COVERING THE CONTIGUOUS 48 STATES AND
ALASKA WILL PROVIDE VIA THE INTERNET A FLOOD OUTLOOK FOR THEIR
AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY.

AN ADDITIONAL MAP SHOWING FLOOD POTENTIAL FOR THE CONTIGUOUS
48 STATES [WMO HEADER: PENJ88 KWNH...AWIPS ID: RBGWNH] WILL BE
ASSEMBLED BY THE HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER OF THE
NATIONAL CENTERS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PREDICTION.  IT WILL BE
DISSEMINATED OVER THE SATELLITE BROADCAST NETWORK /SBN/ AND
NOAAPORT...THE FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/...THE EMERGENCY MANAGERS
WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK /EMWIN/...AS WELL AS THE INTERNET.

THE FLOOD OUTLOOK COVERING ALASKA WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE ON THE
INTERNET.

DURING TESTING...THE OUTLOOK WILL NORMALLY BE MADE AVAILABLE EACH
AFTERNOON.  HOWEVER THERE MAY BE OCCASIONS WHEN ISSUANCE COULD BE
DELAYED OR EVEN MISSED.

IN ADDITION TO THE INTERNET ADDRESSES ABOVE...OUTLOOKS WILL BE
AVAILABLE NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 1 2001 AT /USE LOWER CASE/:

NATIONAL MOSAIC

     HTTP://WWW.HPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV/NATIONALFLOODOUTLOOK

ALASKA-PACIFIC RIVER FORECAST CENTER

     HTTP://AKRFC.ARH.NOAA.GOV/MAPS/FOP.HTML

NORTHWEST RIVER FORECAST CENTER

     HTTP://WWW.NWRFC.NOAA.GOV/FOP.HTML

CALIFORNIA-NEVADA RIVER FORECAST CENTER

     HTTP://WWW.WRH.NOAA.GOV/CNRFC/FOP.HTM

COLORADO BASIN RIVER FORECAST CENTER

     HTTP://WWW.CBRFC.NOAA.GOV/FOP/FOP.CGI

MISSOURI RIVER FORECAST CENTER

     HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/MBRFC/FOP.HTML

NORTH-CENTRAL RIVER FORECAST CENTER

     HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/NCRFC/FLOOD_OUTLOOKS/FOP.HTML

OHIO BASIN RIVER FORECAST CENTER

     HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/ER/OHRFC/FOP.HTM

ARKANSAS-RED RIVER FORECAST CENTER

     HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/ABRFC/FOP/ABRFCFOP.HTML

NORTHEAST RIVER FORECAST CENTER

     HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/ER/NERFC/FOP

THE FLOOD OUTLOOK PRODUCT IS EXPECTED TO BECOME FULLY OPERATIONAL
IN NOVEMBER.  AT THAT TIME...USERS CAN EXPECT EACH RIVER FORECAST
CENTER TO UPDATE THE OUTLOOK FOR THEIR AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY BY
4 PM EASTERN TIME AND POST IT TO THE INTERNET.  A FLOOD OUTLOOK
COVERING THE CONTIGUOUS 48 STATES...A MOSAIC OF THE OUTLOOKS
PREPARED BY RIVER FORECAST CENTERS...WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE EACH
DAY AT APPROXIMATELY 4 PM EASTERN TIME.  THE NATIONAL MOSAIC WILL
BE DISTRIBUTED OVER THE SAME SYSTEMS USED DURING THE SECOND STAGE
OF TESTING INDICATED ABOVE.

INFORMATION ON THE ROLL OUT OF THIS PRODUCT...INCLUDING WEB LINKS
TO THESE NEW FLOOD OUTLOOKS...CAN BE FOUND AT /USE LOWER CASE/:

     HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OH/HIC/FLOOD_OUTLOOK/INDEX.HTML

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WELCOMES PUBLIC FEEDBACK.  IF YOU
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS PLEASE CONTACT:

     FRANK RICHARDS
     HYDROLOGIC INFORMATION CENTER
     OFFICE OF CLIMATE, WATER AND WEATHER SERVICES
     SILVER SPRING MD 20910
     PHONE: 301-713-1630 X128
     EMAIL: FRANCIS.RICHARDS@xxxxxxxx

THIS NOTICE AND OTHER SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE
INTERNET AT /USE LOWER CASE/:

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

END


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