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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 03-04
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
200 PM EST THU JAN 23 2003

TO:       FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/ SUBSCRIBERS...NOAA WEATHER     
          WIRE SERVICE /NWWS/SUBSCRIBERS...NOAAPORT
          SUBSCRIBERS...OTHER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/
          CUSTOMERS AND PARTNERS...NWS EMPLOYEES

FROM:     ROBERT E. LIVEZEY
          CHIEF...CLIMATE SERVICES DIVISION

SUBJECT:  CHANGE TO U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR IMPACT CATEGORIES...
          EFFECTIVE THURSDAY FEBRUARY 20 2003.

EFFECTIVE THURSDAY...FEBRUARY 20 2003...THE DROUGHT MONITOR TEAM
/OF THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER...USDA...NATIONAL DROUGHT
MITIGATION CENTER...AND NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER/ WILL
REDUCE THE NUMBER OF DROUGHT IMPACT CATEGORIES DEPICTED ON THE
U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR MAP FROM THREE /AGRICULTURE...FIRE...AND
HYDROLOGICAL/ TO TWO /AGRICULTURAL AND HYDROLOGICAL/. THE
AGRICULTURAL DROUGHT IMPACT CATEGORY WILL BE LABELED WITH AN
- A - ON THE MAP.  THE HYDROLOGICAL DROUGHT IMPACT CATEGORY WILL
BE LABELED WITH AN - H - ON THE MAP.  

THE PURPOSE OF THE CHANGE IS TO SIMPLIFY THE DROUGHT MONITOR MAP
AND TO AVOID APPARENT CONFLICTS WITH INFORMATION PROVIDED BY FIRE
AGENCIES.  BECAUSE FIRE DANGER CAN CHANGE QUICKLY AND BECAUSE IT
IS NOT ALWAYS DIRECTLY RELATED TO CURRENT DROUGHT CONDITIONS...
DISTINGUISHING AREAS OF DROUGHT-INDUCED FIRE DANGER ON THE
DROUGHT MONITOR CAN LEAD TO CONFLICTS WITH INFORMATION PROVIDED
BY FIRE AGENCIES.  THE AGRICULTURAL CATEGORY WILL INCLUDE DATA ON
ALL VEGETATION...INCLUDING CROPS...PASTURES... GRASSLANDS...AND
FORESTS.

ALL OTHER ASPECTS OF THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR REMAIN THE SAME.

THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR MAP IS TRANSMITTED UNDER THE FOLLOWING
PRODUCT IDS:

WMO HEADING  PYIA88 KWNC           AWIPS ID  RBGDRO

IT IS AVAILABLE EVERY THURSDAY AT 8:30 A.M. EASTERN LOCAL TIME
EXCEPT IF THURSDAY IS A FEDERAL HOLIDAY.  IN THE CASE OF A
THURSDAY HOLIDAY...THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR WILL BE ISSUED ON THE
WEDNESDAY BEFORE THE THURSDAY HOLIDAY AT 8:30 A.M. EASTERN LOCAL
TIME.

THE DROUGHT MONITOR MAP IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN THE INTERNET /USE
LOWER CASE/ AT      
                         

HTTP://WWW.DROUGHT.UNL.EDU/DM/MONITOR.HTML

FOR MORE INFORMATION...CONTACT:
     DOUG LECOMTE...SENIOR METEOROLOGIST
     NOAA/CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER W/NP53
     5200 AUTH RD
     CAMP SPRINGS MD 20746-4304
     PHONE: 301-763-8000 EXT 7567

THIS NOTICE AND OTHER SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES CAN BE FOUND ON THE
INTERNET AT /USE LOWER CASE/:

     WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM

END

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