NOUS41 KWBC 121908
PNSWSH

SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 08-51
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
308 PM EDT TUE AUG 12 2008

TO:	    SUBSCRIBERS:
	    -FAMILY OF SERVICES
	    -NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE
	    -EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK 
	    OTHER NWS PARTNERS...USERS AND EMPLOYEES

FROM:	    THERESE Z. PIERCE
	    CHIEF...MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH

SUBJECT:    CHANGES TO THREE VALID TIME EVENT CODE /VTEC/
            PHENOMENA CODES. PHASE-IN BEGINS ON SEPTEMBER 29 
            AND ENDS ON NOVEMBER 4 2008

BEGINNING ON SEPTEMBER 29 2008...NWS WEATHER FORECAST 
OFFICES /WFOS/ SERVING THE COASTAL AND GREAT LAKES MARINE 
AREAS WILL CHANGE THREE OF THE OPERATIONAL VALID TIME EVENT 
CODE /VTEC/ PHENOMENA /PP/ CODES IN THE MARINE WEATHER 
MESSAGE /MWW/ PRODUCT.

TABLE 1 SHOWS THE CURRENT PHENOMENA NAME...THE CURRENT 
PHENOMENA CODE AND THE NEW PHENOMENA CODE FOR THE THREE 
OPERATIONAL VTEC PHENOMENA IN THE MWW PRODUCT.

TABLE 1.  

PHENOMENA NAME	CURRENT VTEC CODE 	NEW VTEC CODE 
--------------	-----------------       -------------
DENSE FOG		FG		      MF
DENSE SMOKE		SM		      MS
ASHFALL		        AF		      MH

THERE WILL BE NO CHANGES TO ANY OF THE OTHER PHENOMENA /PP/ 
IN THE MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE /MWW/ AT THIS TIME.  THE MWW 
IS THE ONLY PRODUCT AFFECTED BY THESE VTEC PHENOMENA CODE 
CHANGES.

THE DEPLOYMENT OF THIS SOFTWARE CHANGE WILL GRADUALLY OCCUR 
ACROSS ALL OF THE GREAT LAKES WFOS AND ALL COASTAL WFOS 
EXCEPT THE THREE ALASKA REGION WFOS. A TOTAL OF 44 WFOS ARE 
AFFECTED BY THIS SOFTWARE CHANGE. SOME OFFICES MAY INITIATE 
THIS CHANGE AS EARLY AS SEPTEMBER 29 2008. WE EXPECT THIS 
CHANGE TO BE COMPLETE ACROSS THE 44 OFFICES BY NOVEMBER 4 
2008. BECAUSE OF SOFTWARE TESTING AND OPERATIONAL 
REQUIREMENTS...IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR ALL 44 OFFICES TO 
IMPLEMENT THIS SOFTWARE CHANGE ON THE SAME DATE. 

CUSTOMERS RECEIVING THE MWW PRODUCT SHOULD REPROGRAM THEIR 
SOFTWARE TO RECEIVE THESE NEW VTEC CODES LISTED IN TABLE 1.  
THERE WILL BE A SHORT PERIOD WHEN SOME WFOS WILL ISSUE THE 
MWW PRODUCTS WITH THE CURRENT VTEC CODE AND OTHERS WITH THE 
NEW VTEC CODE. 

THIS CHANGE IS DRIVEN BY CRITICAL OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS 
FOR FIELD FORECASTERS WHICH TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER REQUIRED 
ADVANCED LEAD TIME.
		
A DESCRIPTION OF THE VTEC CODE IS ONLINE AT /USE LOWERCASE/:

  HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/VTEC/

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS...PLEASE CONTACT:

  RICHARD MAY
  NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
  MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH
  1325 EAST WEST HWY ROOM 13132
  SILVER SPRING MARYLAND 20910
  PHONE:  301-713-1677 EXT 127

NWS SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES ARE ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE/:

  HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/NOTIF.HTM

$$
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