[nws-changes] 20110906: NEW SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE

• To: nws-changes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Subject: [nws-changes] 20110906: NEW SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE
• From: Linda Miller <lmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Tue, 06 Sep 2011 07:59:12 -0600

-------- Original Message --------

517
NOUS41 KWBC 061315
PNSWSH

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
338 PM EST WED FEB 17 2010

TO:         SUBSCRIBERS:
            -FAMILY OF SERVICES
            -NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE
            -EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK
            -NOAAPORT
            OTHER NWS PARTNERS...AND NWS EMPLOYEES

FROM:       THERESE Z. PIERCE
            MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH CHIEF

SUBJECT:    CORRECTED: NEW SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE
            IS IMPLEMENTED FOR THE 2010 HURRICANE SEASON

CORRECTED THE AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY OF THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER

THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER /NHC/...THE CENTRAL PACIFIC
HURRICANE CENTER /CPHC/...AND NWS FORECAST OFFICES WILL BEGIN
USING A NEW SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE /SSHWS/ THIS
HURRICANE SEASON. THE NEW SCALE WILL NOT PROVIDE PRE-ESTABLISHED
STORM SURGE AND FLOODING IMPACTS TO CATEGORIZE HURRICANES...AS
WERE PROVIDED IN THE ORIGINAL SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE
FROM 1975.

STORM SURGE VALUES ARE DEPENDENT ON A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF A
STORM/S SIZE...INTENSITY...MOTION...BAROMETRIC PRESSURE...THE
DEPTH OF NEARSHORE WATERS...AND LOCAL TOPOGRAPHY. TO HELP REDUCE
CONFUSION ABOUT THE IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE HURRICANE
CATEGORIES...THE STORM SURGE RANGES...CENTRAL PRESSURE RANGES
AND FLOODING IMPACT STATEMENTS WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE NEW
SCALE. WHEN APPROPRIATE DIRECT ESTIMATES OF INUNDATION ARE
COMMUNICATED IN EACH NATIONAL CENTER/S TROPICAL CYCLONE PUBLIC
ADVISORY PRODUCTS AND IN WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE HURRICANE LOCAL
STATEMENTS.

THE NEW SSHWS CONTAINS THE SAME WIND SPEED RANGES FOR EACH OF
THE FIVE CATEGORIES OF HURRICANES IN THE ORIGINAL SCALE. THE NEW
SCALE PROVIDES UPDATED DEFINITIONS OF DAMAGE AND IMPACTS
DEVELOPED IN ASSOCIATION WITH HIGHLY RESPECTED WIND SCIENTISTS
FROM ACADEMIA AND INDUSTRY...AND INCLUDES HISTORICAL EXAMPLES.

FOR THE ATLANTIC AND EASTERN PACIFIC HURRICANE BASINS...THE NEW
SSHWS IS PROVIDED ONLINE AT /USE LOWERCASE/:

  HTTP://WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/ABOUTSSHS.SHTML

THE DAMAGE AND IMPACT STATEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO THE
CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES. THE NHC IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL
METEOROLOGICAL DECISIONS CONCERNING FORECASTING OF TROPICAL AND
SUBTROPICAL SYSTEMS FOR THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND THE EASTERN
PACIFIC OCEAN...NORTH OF THE EQUATOR AND EAST OF 140 DEGREES
WEST LONGITUDE.

FOR THE CENTRAL PACIFIC HURRICANE BASIN...THE NEW SSHWS IS
PROVIDED ONLINE AT /USE LOWERCASE/:

  HTTP://WWW.PRH.NOAA.GOV/CPHC/PAGES/ABOUTSSHS.PHP

THE DAMAGE AND IMPACT STATEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO LAND AREAS IN
THE CENTRAL PACIFIC.  THE CPHC IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL
METEOROLOGICAL DECISIONS CONCERNING FORECASTING OF TROPICAL AND
SUBTROPICAL SYSTEMS FOR THE PACIFIC OCEAN NORTH OF THE EQUATOR
FROM 140 DEGREES WEST TO 180 DEGREES WEST LONGITUDE.

THE EASTERN PACIFIC HURRICANE SEASON BEGINS ON MAY 15.  THE
ATLANTIC AND CENTRAL PACIFIC HURRICANE SEASONS BEGIN ON JUNE 1.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS...PLEASE CONTACT:

DR. CHRISTOPHER LANDSEA
SCIENCE OPERATIONS OFFICER
NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER
11691 S.W. 17TH STREET
MIAMI FLORIDA  33165
305-229-4446
CHRIS.LANDSEA@xxxxxxxx

DR.RICHARD KNABB
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
CENTRAL PACIFIC HURRICANE CENTER
2525 CORREA ROAD
HONOLULU HAWAII  98822
808-973-5273
RICHARD.KNABB@xxxxxxxx

NATIONAL PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS AND SERVICE CHANGE
NOTICES ARE ONLINE AT:

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

$$