NOUS41 KWBC 051835
PNSWSH

SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 08-36
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
235 PM EDT MON MAY 5 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:  NEW CALL TO ACTION /CTA/ MARKERS IN THE OPERATIONAL 
          MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE /MWW/: EFFECTIVE AUGUST 5 2008   
	   
REFER TO: SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE /SCN/ 08-27: TRANSMITTED
          APR 7 2008

ON TUESDAY AUGUST 5 2008 AT 1800 COORDINATED UNIVERSAL TIME 
/UTC/...THE MWW PRODUCT WILL CONTAIN NEW CTA MARKERS TO IDENTIFY 
THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE CTA STATEMENT/S/. THIS PRACTICE 
ENABLES SPECIALIZED USE OF CTA STATEMENTS BY PARTNERS AND OTHER 
USERS. 

THE CTA MARKERS WILL USE PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... AND 
&& CHARACTER STRINGS TO INDICATE THE CTA BEGINNING AND ENDING 
MARKERS...RESPECTIVELY.  THE PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... 
AND && CHARACTER STRINGS WILL BE LEFT JUSTIFIED WITH NO OTHER 
PRINTABLE CHARACTERS ON THE SAME LINE OF TEXT.  

THE GENERIC CTA MARKER FORMAT IS SHOWN BELOW: 

    /BLANK LINE/
    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... 
    /BLANK LINE/
    /CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT/S//
    /BLANK LINE/
    &&
    /BLANK LINE/



THE CTA MARKERS WILL BE INSERTED INTO EACH MWW PRODUCT SEGMENT 
THAT CONTAINS A CTA STATEMENT(S). THERE WILL BE ONLY ONE SET OF 
INSTRUCTION FIELD MARKERS IN EACH SEGEMENT.  

THE CTA MARKER FORMAT FOR A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS SHOWN BELOW:

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

    A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MEANS THAT WIND SPEEDS OF 21 TO 33
    KNOTS ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE HAZARDOUS WAVE CONDITIONS TO 
    SMALL CRAFT. INEXPERIENCED MARINERS...ESPECIALLY THOSE  
    OPERATING SMALLER VESSELS SHOULD AVOID NAVIGATING IN THESE 
    CONDITIONS.
	
    &&

IF THERE IS NO CTA...CTA MARKERS NORMALLY WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IN 
THE MWW PRODUCT SEGMENT.  THIS OCCURS MOST FREQUENTLY WITH 
CANCELLATION OR EXPIRATION STATEMENTS.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE NEW OPERATIONAL MWW PRODUCT EFFECTIVE 
AUG 5 2008 SEE SCN 08-27 POSTED AT

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

MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ON THE MWW PRODUCT AND AN EXAMPLE OF THE 
NEW FORMAT IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:

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

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS...PLEASE CONTACT:

    MARK TEW
    NATIONAL MARINE PROGRAM LEADER
    MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH
    1325 EAST WEST HWY ROOM 13118
    SILVER SPRING MARYLAND 20910
    PHONE:  301-713-1677 EXTENSION 103
    E-MAIL: MARK.TEW@NOAA.GOV
	
NWS SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES ARE ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE/:

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

$$
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