NOUS41 KWBC 152054 PNSWSH PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 02-14 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC 400 PM EST FRI MAR 15 2002 TO: FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/ SUBSCRIBERS...NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE /NWWS/ SUBSCRIBERS...EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK /EMWIN/ SUBSCRIBERS... NOAAPORT SUBSCRIBERS...OTHER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ CUSTOMERS AND PARTNERS...NWS EMPLOYEES FROM: JAMES LEE CHIEF...FIRE AND PUBLIC WEATHER SERVICES BRANCH AND THERESE PIERCE CHIEF...MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH SUBJECT: PROPOSAL FOR A COMBINED PUBLIC/MARINE PRODUCT FOR SELECTED PUBLIC AND MARINE ZONES IN ALASKA...A 60-DAY PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD BEGINS MARCH 26 2002 A NEW COMBINED PUBLIC AND MARINE FORECAST PRODUCT IS BEING PROPOSED FOR SELECTED AREAS IN THE ALEUTIAN AND PRIBILOF ISLANDS. THIS COMBINED FORECAST PRODUCT WILL REPLACE THE PUBLIC ZONE FORECAST AND THE COASTAL MARINE FORECAST FOR THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC ZONES AND MARINE COASTAL AREAS IN ALASKA: PUBLIC ZONES UNIVERSAL GEOGRAPHIC CODE /UGC/ PUBLIC ZONE TITLE AKZ185 EASTERN ALEUTIANS INCLUDING UNALASKA AKZ191 WESTERN ALEUTIANS INCLUDING ADAK AKZ195 PRIBILOF ISLANDS INCLUDING ST PAUL MARINE COASTAL AREAS AREA UGC MARINE ZONE TITLE 12A PKZ121 CAPE SARICHEF TO NIKOLSKI 12A1 PKZ123 UNALASKA BAY 12B PKZ122 NIKOLSKI TO ADAK 13 PKZ130 WESTERN ALEUTIAN ISLANDS ADAK TO ATTU 15 PKZ150 PRIBILOF ISLANDS NEAR-SHORE WATERS THE PROPOSED PRODUCT WILL BE ISSUED TWICE DAILY WITH REVISIONS AS NEEDED...STARTING MARCH 26 AT 0000 COORDINATED UNIVERSAL TIME /UTC/. THERE WILL BE A 60-DAY COMMENT PERIOD FROM MARCH 26 2002 UNTIL MAY 26 2002...DURING WHICH FEEDBACK WILL BE ACCEPTED FROM OUR CUSTOMERS. FEEDBACK GATHERED DURING THIS 60-DAY PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL DETERMINE IF THIS COMBINED PRODUCT WILL CONTINUE TO BE ROUTINELY ISSUED. THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONS AND CHANGES WILL OCCUR IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ISSUANCE OF THE PROPOSED PRODUCT: 1. THE COMBINED PUBLIC/MARINE FORECAST WILL BE ISSUED IN THE MARINE FORECAST PRODUCT FOR THE ABOVE MARINE AREAS UNDER THE WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION /WMO/ COMMUNICATIONS HEADER FZAK65 PANC...AWIPS ID CWF065. 2. THE COASTAL MARINE FORECAST FOR AREA 8 /CAPE NEWENHAM TO DALL POINT/ WILL BE MOVED TO THE PRODUCT WITH WMO COMMUNICATIONS HEADER FZAK64 PANC...AWIPS ID CWF064. 3. THE COASTAL MARINE FORECAST FOR AREA 12A1 /UNALASKA BAY/ WILL BE REPRESENTED AS TABULAR WIND GROUP AT THE BOTTOM OF THE COMBINED PUBLIC/MARINE FORECAST FOR AREA 12A. 4. THE ZONE FORECAST PRODUCT WITH WMO COMMUNICATIONS HEADER FPAK54 PAFC...AWIPS ID ZFPALU...WILL BE DISCONTINUED. FORECASTS FOR ZONES 185...191...AND 195 CONTAINED IN THAT PRODUCT ARE CONTAINED WITHIN THE COMBINED MARINE/PUBLIC PRODUCT. THE ZONE FORECAST FOR ZONE 181 /ALASKA PENINSULA INCLUDING COLD BAY - SAND POINT/ ALSO CONTAINED IN FPAK54 PAFC...AWIPS ID ZFPALU...WILL BE MOVED INTO THE ZONE FORECAST PRODUCT WITH WMO COMMUNICATIONS HEADER FPAK53 PAFC...AWIPS ID ZFPSWB. THE PROPOSED PRODUCT PROVIDES A FORECAST OUT TO 5 DAYS AND INCLUDES ALL THE CURRENT MARINE FORECAST ELEMENTS. IN ADDITION PUBLIC FORECAST ELEMENTS ARE INCLUDED. THE FORECAST ELEMENTS IN THE COMBINED PUBLIC/MARINE PRODUCT ARE: 1. PREDOMINATE WIND DIRECTION AND SPEED IN KNOTS. THIS ELEMENT IS THE SAME AS IN THE CURRENT MARINE FORECAST. 2. PREDOMINATE SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT IN FEET. THIS ELEMENT IS THE SAME AS IN THE CURRENT MARINE FORECAST. 3. SKY CONDITION. THIS ELEMENT IS THE SAME AS IN THE CURRENT PUBLIC FORECAST. 4. CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION AND TYPE PLUS ANY FORECASTED SNOW AMOUNT ON LAND. THIS ELEMENT IS THE SAME AS IN THE CURRENT PUBLIC FORECAST. 5. LOW VISIBILITY. THIS ELEMENT IS THE SAME AS IN THE CURRENT MARINE FORECAST. 6. TEMPERATURE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM. THIS ELEMENT IS THE SAME AS IN THE CURRENT PUBLIC FORECAST. 7. WARNING CONDITIONS FOR WIND SPEED AND VESSEL ICING WILL BE BASED UPON MARINE WARNING CRITERIA. 8. WARNING AND ADVISORY CONDITIONS FOR OTHER ELEMENTS ARE BASED UPON EXISTING PUBLIC WARNING CRITERIA. A SAMPLE OF THE NEW COMBINED PUBLIC AND MARINE FORECAST PRODUCT WILL BE AVAILABLE BY MARCH 18 2002 AT /USE LOWER CASE/: http://www.arh.noaa.gov/hybrid.htm IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THIS PROPOSED CHANGE...YOU MAY CONTACT: BOB HOPKINS METEOROLOGIST IN CHARGE ANCHORAGE WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE ANCHORAGE ALASKA 99510 PHONE: /907/ 266-5120 E-MAIL ADDRESS /USE LOWER CASE/: Bob.Hopkins@noaa.gov THIS NOTICE AND OTHER SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT /USE LOWER CASE/: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/notif.htm END NNNN