960521: NOUS METAR test-(fwd)

• To: nws-changes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Subject: 960521: NOUS METAR test-(fwd)
• From: Linda Miller <lmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Tue, 21 May 1996 15:52:12 -0600 (MDT)

307 
NOUS41 KWBC 211834
PNSNMC
 
NATIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION MESSAGE /NTIM/ 96-12
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
230 PM EDT TUE MAY 21 1996
 
TO        NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/OFFICES...FAMILY OF
          SERVICES /FOS/ SUBSCRIBERS...OTHER NWS CUSTOMERS
 
FROM      THERESE Z. PIERCE...CHIEF...INTEGRATED
          HYDOMETEOROLOGICAL SERVICES CORE
 
SUBJECT   END-TO-END COMMUNICATIONS TEST OF CERTAIN AVIATION
          PRODUCTS.
 
     ON WEDNESDAY...MAY 22 1966...BEGINNING AT 1520UCT /11:20AM
EDT/...THE AVIATION WEATHER CENTER IN KANSAS CITY WILL RUN A TEST
AND ISSUE THE FOLLOWING AVIATION FORECASTS USING THE METAR/TAF
TERMINOLOGY AND CODING CONVENTIONS IN THE DESCRIPTIVE WEATHER
TEXT:
          PRODUCT                       TIME
 
          AREA FORECAST...CHIC FA       1520Z
          AIRMET...BOSS WA              1620Z
          CONVECTIVE SIGMET             1720Z
          NON-CONVECTIVE SIGMET         1820Z
                    
     EACH PRODUCT IS EXPECTED TO BE A VALID WARNING/FORECAST.  TO
BEST ASSURE THAT NO INFORMATION WILL BE LOST...EACH PRODUCT WILL
BE FOLLOWED...AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES... BY A CORRECTION USING THE
CURRENT TERMINOLOGY.  THE NON-CONVECTIVE SIGMET ISSUED AT 1820Z
WILL BE CANCELED 10 MINUTES AFTER DISTRIBUTION.
 
     THESE PRODUCTS WILL USE THE CURRENT AFOS AND WMO
HEADERS...BUT THE METEOROLOGICAL DESCRIPTION WILL CONTAIN THE NEW
METAR/TAF TERMINOLOGY...E.G. WEATHER CODES...CLOUD HEIGHT
FOLLOWING SKY COVER CONTRACTION...ICAO 4-LETTER IDENTIFIERS /IN
TEXT ONLY/...STANDARD ICAO AND FAA ABBREVIATIONS AND
CONTRACTIONS.
 
     EFFECTIVE JULY 1 1996 AT 0800 UTC...THESE AVIATION PRODUCTS
AS WELL AS THE TRANSCRIBED ROUTE FORECASTS /TWEB/...CENTER
WEATHER ADVISORIES AND METEOROLOGICAL IMPACT STATEMENTS WILL
UTILIZE THE NEW TERMINOLOGY.
 
     IN THE EVENT OF EXTREME WEATHER OR OTHER DIFFICULTIES...
MAY 24 WILL BE AN ALTERNATE DATE FOR THE TEST.
 
     IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TEST...PLEASE
CONTACT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING 
 
          ROBERT KREBS             DOUG MATHEWS
          NWS HEADQUARTERS         AVIATION WEATHER CENTER
          SILVER SPRING MD         KANSAS CITY MO
          301 713 1726 X141        816 426 3427 X239
 
END