NOUS41 KWBC 081825
PNSWSH

SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 08-37
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
225 PM EDT THU MAY 8 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:        ADDITION OF THE VALID TIME EVENT CODE /VTEC/ /S/ 
                SIGNIFICANCE CODE TO THE HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT 
                /HLS/: EFFECTIVE JUNE 15 2008 

REFER TO:	SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE /SCN/ 08-04: TRANSMITTED
		FEB 05 2008

BEGINNING JUNE 15 2008 NWS FORECAST OFFICES /WFOS/ WILL BE ABLE 
TO ISSUE THE SEGMENTED HLS USING THE /S/ SIGNIFICANCE CODE IN THE 
VTEC STRING.  THE /S/ STANDS FOR STATEMENT AND IS PAIRED WITH A 
PHENOMENA CODE SUCH AS HU FOR HURRICANE. THE ONLY TROPICAL 
CYCLONE PHENOMENA CODE USED IN 2008 WILL BE THE HURRICANE 
PHENOMENA CODE HU EVEN IF THE TROPICAL CYCLONE IS A TROPICAL 
STORM OR TYPHOON. NWS MAY EXPAND THE USE OF THE /S/ SIGNIFICANCE 
CODE FOR TROPICAL STORMS AND TYPHOONS FOR FUTURE SEASONS BUT MUST 
FIRST DEVELOP SOFTWARE.

THE /S/ SIGNIFICANCE CODE IS USED TO DISPEL RUMORS WHEN THERE ARE 
NO TROPICAL CYCLONE WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN EFFECT OR TO CLARIFY 
TROPICAL CYCLONE RELATED INFORMATION IN A WFO/S AREA OF 
RESPONSIBILITY.

THE MASS NEWS DISSEMINATOR HEADER PRODUCT TYPE LINE WILL CARRY 
THE STORM TYPE OF INTEREST: HURRICANE...TYPHOON...TROPICAL STORM 
OR TROPICAL DEPRESSION.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE VTEC CODE IS ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE/:

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

THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO THE AWIPS IDENTIFIERS...WMO PRODUCT 
HEADINGS OR PRODUCT ISSUANCE TIMES FOR THE HLS.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS...PLEASE CONTACT:

  SCOTT KISER
  NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
  MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH
  1325 EAST WEST HWY ROOM 13126
  SILVER SPRING MARYLAND 20910
  PHONE:  301-713-1677 EXT 121

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

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

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