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ABUS34 KFLG 141654
PNSFLG
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
950 AM MST THU DEC 14 1995
DEAR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ PRODUCT USER...
NWSO FLAGSTAFF WILL BEGIN ISSUING SHORT TERM FORECASTS /NOW/ FOR
THE FLAGSTAFF VICINITY ON TUESDAY...JAN 16...1996.
THE NOW...COMMONLY CALLED A NOWCAST...WILL BE A NON-ROUTINE
PRODUCT FOR COMMUNICATING CONCISE...NON-TECHNICAL PLAIN LANGUAGE
FORECASTS OF SIGNIFICANT SHORT-TERM /6 HOURS OR LESS/
HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS TO THE PUBLIC AND OTHER USERS.
ISSUANCE AREA...
THE WSO FLAGSTAFF NOWCAST WILL BE ISSUED FOR FLAGSTAFF AND AREAS
WITHIN A 15 MILE RADIUS OF FLAGSTAFF...EXCLUDING THE SAN
FRANCISCO PEAKS.
ISSUANCE CRITERIA...
1. HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL CRITERIA...NOWS SHALL BE ISSUED FOR
SIGNIFICANT BUT NON-SEVERE HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL
CONDITIONS WHICH ARE OCCURRING OR EXPECTED TO OCCUR IN
THE FLAGSTAFF VICINITY WITHIN THE NEXT 6 HOURS...SUCH
AS...
A. SIGNIFICANT CONVECTIVE STORMS AND ASSOCIATED HEAVY
RAIN...SNOW...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...STRONG WINDS...
HAIL...AND LOCAL FLOODING.
B. OTHER POTENTIAL HAZARDS INCLUDING...BUT NOT
LIMITED TO...DENSE FOG...WIND...BLOWING AND
DRIFTING SNOW ...OR ANY OTHER HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL
EVENT WHICH THE FORECASTER PERCEIVES AS ADVERSELY
AFFECTING THE PUBLIC OR OTHER USERS.
2. NOWS WILL BE ISSUED FOR A PERIOD UP TO 6 HOURS...AND
ISSUED IN LIEU OF SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENTS /SPS/ FOR
SHORT-TERM EVENTS IN THE FLAGSTAFF VICINITY. SPSS FOR
THE FLAGSTAFF VICINITY SHALL BE USED ONLY TO DESCRIBE
LONGER-TERM EVENTS...INCLUDING DISCUSSIONS OF
HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL REASONING...AND TO CLEAR COUNTIES
FROM WATCHES.
ISSUANCE FREQUENCY/GUIDELINES...
1. NOWS WILL BE ISSUED FREQUENTLY DURING RAPIDLY CHANGING
CONDITIONS IN THE VICINITY OF FLAGSTAFF.
2. NOWCASTS SHALL NOT INTERFERE WITH OR DELAY THE ISSUANCE
OF WARNINGS OR SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENTS. NOWS ARE
SECONDARY IN PRIORITY TO EXISTING WARNING
RESPONSIBILITIES.
3. NOWS WILL BE ISSUED THROUGHOUT SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS BUT
ONLY TO PROVIDE FOLLOW-UP...NON-URGENT INFORMATION.
4. NOWS WILL BE ISSUED AT THE END OF AN EVENT...STATING
THAT THE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER HAS ENDED.
5. NOWCASTS WILL NOT BE ISSUED FOR "BENIGN" WEATHER.
RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PRODUCTS...
NOWS WILL INCLUDE APPROPRIATE SHORT-TERM FORECAST INFORMATION
FORMERLY CONTAINED IN OTHER MESSAGES...SUCH AS...
1. SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENTS /SPSS/...NOWS WILL REPLACE
SOME SPSS THAT PROVIDED SHORT-TERM INFORMATION REGARDING
SIGNIFICANT HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AROUND
FLAGSTAFF. SPSS WILL CONTINUE TO BE USED...
A. TO UPDATE LONGER-TERM EVENTS SUCH AS FOLLOW-UPS TO
WINTER OR NON-PRECIPITATION WATCH/WARNING/ADVISORY
PRODUCTS /WSWS...NPWS/...AND FOLLOW-UP TO
URBAN/SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORIES...
B. IN SITUATIONS WHERE SOME EXPLANATION OR TECHNICAL
REASONING IS NEEDED...INCLUDING CALL-TO-ACTION
STATEMENTS...
C. TO CLEAR COUNTIES FROM A CONVECTIVE WATCH.
2. SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENTS /SVSS/...NOWCASTS ARE NOT
INTENDED TO DESCRIBE EVENTS WHICH MEET SEVERE WEATHER
CRITERIA BUT CAN BE USED TO PROVIDE FOLLOW-UP...NON-
URGENT INFORMATION FOR THE FLAGSTAFF VICINITY. SVSS
WILL...
A. BE USED TO CONSOLIDATE OR SUMMARIZE INFORMATION
FROM A WARNING OR NUMBER OF WARNINGS IN PROGRESS
B. PROVIDE A VERY BRIEF REPORT...NO MORE THAN TWO OR
THREE LINES OF TEXT...OF IMMINENT DANGER OR...
C. EXTEND A WATCH FOR AN HOUR OR SO.
3. FLASH FLOOD/FLOOD STATEMENTS /FFSS/FLSS/...NOWS ARE NOT
INTENDED TO DESCRIBE EVENTS WHICH MEET FLOOD CRITERIA.
HENCE THEY WILL NOT BE USED TO REPLACE FFSS OR FLSS
/WHEN ASSOCIATED WITH FLASH FLOOD WATCHES OR WARNINGS/.
PRODUCT CONTENT...
SHORT TERM FORECASTS WILL BE CONCISE AND WILL IN MOST CASES BE
LIMITED TO 8 LINES OF TEXT OR LESS...ABOUT 30 TO 60 SECONDS OF
READING TIME OR LESS.
PRODUCT UPDATES...
NOWCASTS...BEING VERY TIMELY AND CONTENT PERISHABLE...WILL NOT BE
UPDATED OR AMENDED. IF A NOWCAST IS NO LONGER ACCURATE...A NEW
ONE WILL BE ISSUED.
DISSEMINATION...
FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/...NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE
/NWWS/...NOAA WEATHER RADIO /NWR/...AND THE ARIZONA STATE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM. IDENTIFIER...PHXNOWFLG.
FEEDBACK...
WE WELCOME CUSTOMER INPUT TO THIS NEW PRODUCT. THE NOWCAST
FORMAT ...CONTENT...AND ISSUANCE POLICY WILL EVOLVE AS OUR STAFF
STRIVES TO MEET OUR CUSTOMERS NEEDS. WE INVITE ALL USER GROUPS
TO BECOME INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS.
PRODUCT FORMAT...
THE NOW TEXT SHALL BE PRECEDED BY THE UNIVERSAL GENERIC CODE
/UGC/...AZZ012. PLAIN LANGUAGE IDENTIFICATION OF THE NOW
AREA WILL FOLLOW THE UGC LINE. A REPEAT OF THE DATE/TIME
LINE /FOUND IN THE THREE-LINE MASS NEWS DISSEMINATION
HEADER/ WILL FOLLOW THE PLAIN LANGUAGE IDENTIFICATION OF THE
NOW AREA. /SEE EXAMPLE/ THE UGC FOLLOWS STANDARD PRACTICES.
ON THE LINE IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE TEXT...A SHORT-TERM
FORECAST IDENTIFIER... .NOW... SHALL BE USED. /SEE
EXAMPLE/
A HEADLINE MAY BE USED...WITH THE HEADLINE TEXT BEGINNING ON
THE LINE AFTER THE .NOW... THE OPTION EXISTS TO INCLUDE
ADDITIONAL OR LONGER-TERM HEADLINES BEFORE THE .NOW...
HEADLINES SHALL ALWAYS BE PRECEDED AND FOLLOWED BY THREE
DOTS /.../. /SEE EXAMPLE/
THE MOST IMPORTANT NOW INFORMATION WILL BE INCLUDED WITHIN
EIGHT LINES...FOLLOWED BY A DOUBLE DOLLAR /$$/...WHICH ENDS
THE NOW. IF THE TEXT EXCEEDS EIGHT LINES...A DOUBLE
AMPERSAND /&&/ WILL BE ADDED AFTER THE EIGHTH LINE AND A $$
AFTER THE END OF THE COMPLETED TEXT FOR THE NOW. /SEE
EXAMPLE/
PRODUCT EXAMPLES...
THE FOLLOWING NOW DOES NOT EXCEED EIGHT LINES AND DOES NOT
INCLUDE A HEADLINE.
SHORT TERM FORECAST FOR THE FLAGSTAFF VICINITY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
415 PM MST MON MAR 11 1995
AZZ012-120100-
FLAGSTAFF VICINITY --
.NOW...
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
EARLY THIS EVENING. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY
RAIN...GUSTY WINDS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL MOVE THROUGH
SOUTH FLAGSTAFF BY 6 PM. PORTIONS OF SOUTH FLAGSTAFF COULD
RECEIVE UP TO ONE INCH OF RAIN WITH LOCAL STREET FLOODING.
/TEXT DOES NOT EXCEED EIGHT LINES/
$$
THE FOLLOWING NOWCAST EXCEEDS EIGHT LINES AND DOES NOT INCLUDE A
HEADLINE.
SHORT TERM FORECAST FOR THE FLAGSTAFF VICINITY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
415 PM MST MON MAR 11 1995
AZZ012-120100-
FLAGSTAFF VICINITY --
.NOW...
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
EARLY THIS EVENING. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY
RAIN...GUSTY WINDS TO NEAR 40 MPH AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING
WILL MOVE THROUGH SOUTH FLAGSTAFF BY 6 PM. AREAS SOUTH OF I-
40 COULD RECEIVE UP TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN. THE ADDITIONAL
RAINFALL WILL AGGRAVATE THE LOCAL FLOODING ALREADY OCCURRING
IN THE CONTINENTAL AREA AND WILL RESULT IN ADDITIONAL STREET
FLOODING AND PONDING OF WATER IN LOW-LYING AREAS.
&&
IF YOU ARE DRIVING IN SOUTH FLAGSTAFF THIS EVENING...PLEASE
DO NOT TRY TO CROSS FLOODED STREETS. /TEXT EXCEEDS EIGHT
LINES/
$$
PRODUCT EXAMPLES /CONTINUED/...
THE FOLLOWING NOW DOES NOT EXCEED EIGHT LINES AND INCLUDES A
HEADLINE AFTER THE .NOW....
SHORT TERM FORECAST FOR THE FLAGSTAFF VICINITY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
415 PM MST MON MAR 11 1995
AZZ012-120100-
FLAGSTAFF VICINITY --
.NOW...
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTH FLAGSTAFF...
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY THIS
EVENING. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY
WINDS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL MOVE THROUGH SOUTH
FLAGSTAFF BY 6 PM. PORTIONS OF SOUTH FLAGSTAFF COULD RECEIVE
UP TO ONE INCH OF RAIN WITH LOCAL STREET FLOODING.
/TEXT DOES NOT EXCEED EIGHT LINES...INCLUDING THE HEADLINE/
$$
THE FOLLOWING NOW DOES NOT EXCEED EIGHT LINES AND INCLUDES A
HEADLINE BEFORE THE .NOW....
SHORT TERM FORECAST FOR THE FLAGSTAFF VICINITY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
415 PM MST MON MAR 11 1995
AZZ012-120100-
FLAGSTAFF VICINITY --
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTH FLAGSTAFF...
.NOW...
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY THIS
EVENING. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY
WINDS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL MOVE THROUGH SOUTH
FLAGSTAFF BY 6 PM. PORTIONS OF SOUTH FLAGSTAFF COULD RECEIVE
UP TO ONE INCH OF RAIN WITH LOCAL STREET FLOODING.
/TEXT DOES NOT EXCEED EIGHT LINES...INCLUDING THE HEADLINE/
$$
IF YOU HAVE NEED FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT...
CHRIS CUOCO...WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST...
NWSO FLAGSTAFF AT 556-9161...EXT 223
MIKE CAMPBELL...METEOROLOGIST IN CHARGE
NWSO FLAGSTAFF AT 556-9161...EXT 222
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