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20010904: Possible Change to NCEP frontal position bulletins

>From:  Kathryn Ginger <address@hidden>
>Organization:  UCAR/DLESE
>Keywords:  200108312037.f7VKbKh01117 NOAAPORT front ASUS1 FSUS2 McIDAS

Ed,

Late last week I became aware of your message to the AMS regarding possible
format change to the NOAAPORT ASUS1 and FSUS2 bulletins:

  >Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2001 15:15:59 -0400
  >From: "Edwin Danaher" <address@hidden>
  >Organization: NCEP/HPC  Development and Training Branch
  >To: address@hidden
  >Subject: Fronts on Datastreme Surface Charts - Possible Change to NCEP 
Messages
  >
  >     I understand that you use text files generated here at the NWS NCEP
  >Hydrometeorological Prediction Center to place fronts on the surface
  >analysis charts displayed as part of the Datastreme project.  I spoke
  >with someone about this sometime ago, but have unfortunately lost his
  >name.
  >
  >     We are considering a change in the coding of this product and would
  >like to discuss this with someone knowledgeable about your decoders so
  >that we can avoid breaking your code if possible. At your convenience,
  >could someone contact me at 301-763-8000 Ext 7354 or provide me with a
  >contact via email?
  >
  >     Thanks in advance.
  >
  >Ed Danaher

The impact of changing the format of the frontal position bulletins
extends well beyond the Datastreme project.  The Unidata Program Center
of UCAR has included use of these bulletins in supported software for
several years.  Unidata packages that would be immediately impacted are
GEMPAK and McIDAS.  In addition, we believe that Unisys continues to
support use of these ASUS1 and FSUS2 bulletins in its WXP package.

Some example displays showing use of the bulletins can be found in:

Package       Example display
-------------+-------------------------------------
GEMPAK        http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/staff/chiz/gifs/sfc_fronts.gif
McIDAS        http://mcdemo.unidata.ucar.edu/images/GEFRONT.GIF
WXP           http://wxp.unisys.com/

I believe that in all cases the use of the products is hardcoded into
applications.  Any change in format would necessarily require all of us
to make modifications to our respective distributions.

Relevant contacts for each of the packages mentioned above are:

Package       Contact
-------------+-------------------------------------
GEMPAK        Steve Chiswell <address@hidden>
McIDAS        Tom Yoksas <address@hidden>
WXP           Dan Vietor <address@hidden>

It would be most valuable if you could provide us with any information
on proposed changes including the timeframe for the changes.

Thanks in advance...

Tom
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