NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND 20910-3283

Operations Manual Letter 07-01

Date of Issue:			August 6, 2001		Effective Date:		August 6, 2001
In Reply Refer To:				W/OS21	File With:	C-43 and D-52
Subject:	Lakeshore Flood Products
References:		WSOM Chapter C-43, Transmittal Issuance 93-11, dated August 18, 1993 and WSOM Chapter D-52, Transmittal Issuance 91-2, dated March 29, 1991.

To consolidate all coastal flood policy in one document, the lakeshore flood program for the Great Lakes is now included in Weather Service Operations Manual (WSOM) Chapter C-43. The following paragraphs shall be added to WSOM Chapter C-43. Paragraphs 14.2 and 14.3 shall be deleted from WSOM Chapter D-52.

• Lakeshore Flooding. Coastal flooding along any of the Great Lakes is called lakeshore flooding. Lakeshore flood warnings and lakeshore flood statements shall be used to alert those impacted of conditions which pose or which may pose a threat to life or property. Appropriate communications identifiers are noted in attachment 1.

10.1 Responsibility. Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs) along the Great Lakes shall issue lakeshore flood products for their nearshore areas of responsibility.

10.2 Lakeshore Flood Warnings.

10.2.1 Issuance. A lakeshore flood warning should be issued whenever flooding along any of the Great Lakes is occurring or is imminent within the first or second forecast periods. A new lakeshore flood warning should be issued if the warning area expands, if new areas are added, or if the effective time is extended.

10.2.2 Contents/Format. Lakeshore flood warnings shall include:

• The expiration time noted in the communications header showing the time the event is expected to end or when the next update is scheduled to be issued, whichever is sooner.

• In the communications header, the affected land and water zones impacted by the event.

• The phrase "BULLETIN -IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED" to the header of the initial issuance.

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• A headline containing, the location/areal coverage of the flood and the expected duration of the event. WFOs should coordinate with local emergency officials to identify impacted areas.

• An indication of the severity of the flooding including expected water levels in either inches or feet and tenths, but not both. This may be given either with reference to low water norms or with reference to recent averages. General terms regarding beach erosion, inland extent, associated weather, and wave heights may be used.

• The definition of a lakeshore flood warning (i.e., LAKESHORE FLOOD WARNING MEANS FLOODING AND BEACH EROSION WILL OCCUR.).

• A call to action directed to both the maritime community and the shoreline public.

Example:

WHUS61 KBUF 121501

LSHBUF

NYZ010-019-LEZ040-041-122100-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED

LAKESHORE FLOOD WARNING

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY

1000 AM EST TUE DEC 12 2000

...WARNING...LAKESHORE FLOODING ALONG LAKE ERIE FROM DUNKIRK

TO BUFFALO NEW YORK THROUGH THIS EVENING...

A STRONG STORM SYSTEM IS PRODUCING SUSTAINED WESTERLY WINDS

OF UP TO 60 MILES AN HOUR OVER LAKE ERIE THIS MORNING. THESE WINDS ARE PILING WATER UP OVER THE EASTERN END OF THE LAKE WITH WATER LEVELS JUST OVER 5 FEET ABOVE NORMAL AT SUNRISE. THESE MAY RISE TO OVER 8 FEET ABOVE NORMAL BY THIS AFTERNOON.

A LAKESHORE FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING AND BEACH EROSION WILL OCCUR. SOME LAKESHORE FLOODING HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED NEAR EVANGOLA STATE PARK. VISITORS SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM THAT LOCALE AND ANY OTHER FLOODED AREAS. COASTAL RESIDENTS...ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM SILVER CREEK TO ANGOLA ON THE LAKE...SHOULD BE ALERT AND BE PREPARED MOVE AWAY FROM THE BEACH.

$$

RSH

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10.2.3 Consistency with Other Products. Applicable lakeshore flood warnings should be headlined in appropriate nearshore and public zone forecasts. Such headlines are not necessary in open lakes forecasts. However, to ensure product consistency, issuing WFOs shall notify the appropriate open lakes WFO when a lakeshore flood warning is issued.

10.3 Lakeshore Flood Statements.

10.3.1 Issuance. Lakeshore flood statements should be issued to:

• Keep the public updated on existing warnings.

(Statements should be issued at least every 6 hours after warnings are issued and more frequently if conditions are changing rapidly.)

• Cancel a warning, to remove areas from a warning, or to announce a warning has expired.

• Alert the public of potentially hazardous conditions that have not yet reached warning criteria.

10.3.2 Contents/Format. Lakeshore flood statements shall include:

a. The expiration time in the communications header showing the time the event is expected to end or when the next update is scheduled to be issued, whichever is sooner.

• In the communications header, the affected land and water zone identifiers impacted by the event.

c. Information on the location, areal coverage, severity, and expected duration of the event.

• A call to action.

Example:

WHUS63 KDLH 110451

LSHDLH

WIZ001>004-510-520>523-111035-

LAKESHORE FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN

1047 PM CST TUE NOV 10 1998

...STRONG WINDS AND WAVES MAY CAUSE BEACH EROSION...

THE INTENSE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WHICH AFFECTED THE UPPER MIDWEST TODAY WAS LOCATED IN NORTHWEST ONTARIO THIS EVENING. THE LOW WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK NORTHEAST TOWARD HUDSON BAY BY LATE WEDNESDAY. WINDS WILL BE FROM THE NORTHWEST TONIGHT

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AND MAY INCREASE TO 40 TO 50 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 65 MPH OVER LAKE SUPERIOR BY WEDNESDAY EVENING.

AREAS ALONG THE SOUTH SHORE OF LAKE SUPERIOR MAY SEE SOME LOCALIZED BEACH EROSION OVERNIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING DUE TO LARGE WAVES. THE BAYFIELD PENINSULA AND THE APOSTLE ISLANDS WILL BE THE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE STRONG WINDS AND HIGH WAVES.

RESIDENTS AND VISITORS SHOULD KEEP INFORMED ON THIS SITUATION BY MONITORING YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER SOURCE FOR WEATHER INFORMATION.

$$

AUSTIN

John J. Kelly, Jr.

Assistant Administrator

for Weather Services

Product Identifiers for Lakeshore Flood Warnings and Statements

ISSUING WFO AWIPS ID WMO ID

Marquette LSHMQT WHUS63 KMQT

Green Bay LSHGRB WHUS63 KGRB

Milwaukee-Sullivan LSHMKE WHUS63 KMKX

Chicago-Romeoville LSHCHI WHUS63 KLOT

Grand Rapids LSHGRR WHUS63 KGRR

Gaylord LSHAPN WHUS63 KAPX

Detroit-Pontiac LSHDTX WHUS63 KDTX

Cleveland LSHCLE WHUS63 KCLE

Buffalo LSHBUF WHUS61 KBUF