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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
200 PM EDT FRI JUL 14 2000
TO FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/ SUBSCRIBERS...NOAA WEATHER
WIRE SERVICE /NWWS/ SUBSCRIBERS...OTHER NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ CUSTOMERS...NWS EMPLOYEES
FROM DONALD R. WERNLY...CHIEF CUSTOMER SERVICE
OFFICE OF METEOROLOGY
SUBJECT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEAT RELATED PRODUCTS
OVER THE PAST DECADE...HEAT HAS KILLED MORE AMERICANS THAN ANY
OTHER WEATHER-RELATED EVENT. IN ADDITION...DURING THE 1990S THE
ECONOMIC IMPACT OF EXCESSIVE HEAT WAS NEARLY $ 5 BILLION. THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PROVIDES A SUITE OF PRODUCTS TO HELP
EMERGENCY MANAGERS...PUBLIC OFFICIALS...HEALTH-AGENCIES...HEAT-
SENSITIVE INDUSTRIES AND THE PUBLIC BETTER PLAN FOR THESE
DANGEROUS EVENTS.
FORECASTERS AT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICES ISSUE
EXCESSIVE HEAT OUTLOOKS...SEVERAL DAYS IN ADVANCE OF THE ONSET OF
HIGH TEMPERATURES. THESE OUTLOOKS GIVE THE PUBLIC AND CONCERNED
OFFICIALS ADVANCE NOTICE SO PLANS CAN BE PUT INTO PLACE TO DEAL
WITH THE THREAT. OUR FORECASTERS ISSUE EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCHES
WHEN A HEAT EVENT IS EXPECTED WITHIN THE NEXT 36 TO 48 HOURS.
DURING THIS LEAD TIME...COMMUNITIES CAN INITIATE HEAT-RELATED
PLANS AND ACTIONS. WE ISSUE AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING WHEN THE
EVENT IS EXPECTED WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS OR IS ONGOING. A
WARNING PROVIDES INFORMATION REGARDING THE SEVERITY OF THE EVENT
AND GIVES NOTICE THAT LIFE THREATENING CONDITIONS EXIST OR ARE
IMMINENT.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING PUBLIC
OFFICIALS AND EMERGENCY MANAGERS WITH AS MUCH TIMELY...UP-TO-DATE
INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE. OUR CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER ISSUES
TWO GUIDANCE PRODUCTS THAT PROVIDE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
FORECASTERS WITH AN EARLY ALERT OF CONDITIONS THAT MAY DEVELOP
INTO EXTREME HEAT EVENTS. THE CPC'S EXCESSIVE HEAT OUTLOOK MAPS
SHOWS PROBABILITY FOR EXTREME HEAT EVENTS UP TO TWO WEEKS IN
ADVANCE. THE THREATS ASSESSMENT...SHOWS POTENTIAL SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ACTIVITY...SUCH AS EXTREME HEAT...OVER THE NEXT 3 TO 10
DAYS. WORKING TOGETHER... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTERS
AND EMERGENCY MANAGERS CAN USE THIS INFORMATION TO MONITOR AND
PREPARE FOR POTENTIAL EXTREME HEAT EVENTS. THESE PRODUCTS ARE
POSTED ON THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER WEB SITE
(HTTP://WWW.CPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV) AND TRANSMITTED ON NWS
COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS.
BECAUSE THE HEALTH RISKS AND HEAT IMPACTS CAN VARY FROM REGION TO
REGION...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTERS...TAKE INTO ACCOUNT
LOCAL CLIMATOLOGY AND OTHER FACTS TO DETERMINE WHEN TO ISSUE HEAT
RELATED OUTLOOKS...WATCHES AND WARNINGS. EMERGENCY
MANAGERS...HEALTH OFFICIALS...AND OTHERS ARE URGED TO CONTACT
THEIR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE TO DISCUSS
HOW BEST TO USE THE VARIOUS HEAT RELATED PRODUCTS IN YOUR HEAT
ACTION PLAN.
END
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