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-------- Original Message --------831 NOUS41 KWBC 251600
PNSWSH SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 10-13NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC 1100 AM EST THU FEB 25 2010
TO: SUBSCRIBERS:
- FAMILY OF SERVICES
- NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE
- EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK
- NOAAPORT
- OTHER NWS PARTNERS USERS AND EMPLOYEES
FROM: THERESE Z. PIERCE CHIEF...MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH SUBJECT: CHANGE TO TSUNAMI WARNING...WATCH...ADVISORY AND INFORMATION STATEMENT DEFINITIONS FOR DOMESTIC PRODUCTS ISSUED BY THE PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER: EFFECTIVE APRIL 1 2010 EFFECTIVE THURSDAY APRIL 1 2010 AT 1800 COORDINATED UNIVERSAL TIME... DEFINITIONS USED FOR DOMESTIC TSUNAMI PRODUCTS ISSUED BY THE PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER /PTWC/ WILL BE REVISED TO PROVIDE BETTER INDICATION OF EXPECTED TSUNAMI IMPACT LEVEL AND TO MORE CLOSELY ALIGN TSUNAMI PRODUCTS TO OTHER NWS WARNING/WATCH/ADVISORY PRODUCT SUITES.
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT REVISION IS TO THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY DEFINITION. CURRENTLY A TSUNAMI ADVISORY STATES THAT A WATCH OR WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ANOTHER PART OF THE OCEAN BASIN AND THAT THE TSUNAMI MAY OR MAY NOT AFFECT THE AREA UNDER THE ADVISORY. THE NEW ADVISORY STATES A TSUNAMI IS EXPECTED THAT COULD BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE IN OR NEAR THE WATER BUT NO SIGNIFICANT INUNDATION IS EXPECTED.
UNDER THE NEW DEFINITIONS...IN SITUATIONS WHERE A TSUNAMI WARNING...WATCH OR ADVISORY IS ISSUED FOR ANOTHER AREA OF THE OCEAN...ONLY A TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY PTWC REGARDLESS OF THE POTENTIAL FUTURE THREAT.
THE REVISED TSUNAMI WARNING...WATCH...ADVISORY AND INFORMATION STATEMENT DEFINITIONS ARE LOCATED IN TABLE 1.
TABLE 1. REVISED TSUNAMI WARNING...ADVISORY...WATCH AND INFORMATION STATEMENT DEFINITIONS FOR PTWC DOMESTIC PRODUCTS EFFECTIVE THURSDAY APRIL 1 2010.
TSUNAMI WARNING: A TSUNAMI WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN A POTENTIAL TSUNAMI WITH SIGNIFICANT WIDESPREAD INUNDATION IS IMMINENT OR EXPECTED. WARNINGS ALERT THE PUBLIC THAT WIDESPREAD... DANGEROUS COASTAL FLOODING ACCOMPANIED BY POWERFUL CURRENTS IS POSSIBLE AND MAY CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS AFTER ARRIVAL OF THE INITIAL WAVE. WARNINGS ALSO ALERT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS TO TAKE ACTION FOR THE ENTIRE TSUNAMI HAZARD ZONE. APPROPRIATE ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY LOCAL OFFICIALS MAY INCLUDE THE EVACUATION OF LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS AND REPOSITIONING SHIPS TO DEEP WATERS WHEN THERE IS TIME TO SAFELY DO SO. WARNINGS MAY BE UPDATED... ADJUSTED GEOGRAPHICALLY...DOWNGRADED OR CANCELED. TO PROVIDE THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE ALERT...INITIAL WARNINGS ARE NORMALLY BASED ONLY ON SEISMIC INFORMATION.
TSUNAMI WATCH: A TSUNAMI WATCH IS ISSUED TO ALERT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND THE PUBLIC OF AN EVENT THAT MAY LATER IMPACT THE WATCH AREA. THE WATCH AREA MAY BE UPGRADED TO A WARNING OR ADVISORY - OR CANCELED - BASED ON UPDATED INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS. THEREFORE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND THE PUBLIC SHOULD PREPARE TO TAKE ACTION. WATCHES ARE NORMALLY ISSUED BASED ON SEISMIC INFORMATION WITHOUT CONFIRMATION THAT A DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI IS UNDERWAY.
TSUNAMI ADVISORY: A TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS ISSUED FOR THE THREAT OF A POTENTIAL TSUNAMI THAT MAY PRODUCE STRONG CURRENTS OR WAVES DANGEROUS TO THOSE IN OR NEAR THE WATER. COASTAL REGIONS HISTORICALLY PRONE TO DAMAGE DUE TO STRONG CURRENTS INDUCED BY TSUNAMIS ARE AT THE GREATEST RISK. THE THREAT MAY CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS AFTER THE ARRIVAL OF THE INITIAL WAVE...BUT SIGNIFICANT WIDESPREAD INUNDATION IS NOT EXPECTED FOR AREAS UNDER AN ADVISORY. APPROPRIATE ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY LOCAL OFFICIALS MAY INCLUDE CLOSING BEACHES...EVACUATING HARBORS AND MARINAS...AND REPOSITIONING SHIPS TO DEEP WATERS WHEN THERE IS TIME TO SAFELY DO SO. ADVISORIES ARE NORMALLY UPDATED TO CONTINUE THE ADVISORY...EXPAND/CONTRACT AFFECTED AREAS... UPGRADE TO A WARNING...OR CANCEL THE ADVISORY.
TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT: A TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT IS ISSUED TO INFORM EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND THE PUBLIC THAT AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED...OR THAT A TSUNAMI WARNING...WATCH OR ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ANOTHER SECTION OF THE OCEAN. IN MOST CASES INFORMATION STATEMENTS ARE ISSUED TO INDICATE THERE IS NO THREAT OF A DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI AND TO PREVENT UNNECESSARY EVACUATIONS BECAUSE THE EARTHQUAKE MAY HAVE BEEN FELT IN COASTAL AREAS. AN INFORMATION STATEMENT MAY...IN APPROPRIATE SITUATIONS...CAUTION ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF DESTRUCTIVE LOCAL TSUNAMIS. INFORMATION STATEMENTS MAY BE REISSUED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...THOUGH NORMALLY THESE MESSAGES ARE NOT UPDATED. HOWEVER...A WATCH...ADVISORY OR WARNING MAY BE ISSUED FOR THE AREA...IF NECESSARY...AFTER ANALYSIS AND/OR UPDATED INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.
THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PRODUCT TYPE LINES AND PRODUCT COMMUNICATIONS IDENTIFIERS REMAIN THE SAME. FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT TSUNAMI PRODUCTS AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE PTWC CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT /USE LOWERCASE/:
HTTP://WWW.PRH.NOAA.GOV/PTWCIF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS...PLEASE CONTACT: CHARLES MCCREERY PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE 91-270 FORT WEAVER ROAD EWA BEACH, HI 96706-2928 808-689-8207 CHARLES.MCCREERY@xxxxxxxx NATIONAL SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES ARE ONLINE AT /USE LOWERCASE/:
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/NOTIF.HTM $$ NNNN
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