NOUS41 KWBC 071510
PNSWSH

SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 08-27
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
1110 AM EDT MON APR 7 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:  OPERATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE 
          /MWW/: EFFECTIVE AUGUST 5 2008 

REFER TO: SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE /SCN/ 08-26: TRANSMITTED
          APR 7 2008

ON TUESDAY AUGUST 5 2008 AT 1800 COORDINATED UNIVERSAL TIME 
/UTC/... NWS FORECAST OFFICES /WFOS/ SERVING THE ATLANTIC... 
PACIFIC...GULF...AND GREAT LAKES COASTS WILL BEGIN ISSUING THE 
OPERATIONAL MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE /MWW/ PRODUCT. THIS PRODUCT IS 
INTENDED TO BETTER INFORM MARINERS OF MARINE WEATHER HAZARDS AND 
SERVE AS A DEDICATED LONG DURATION MARINE WATCH/WARNING/ADVISORY 
PRODUCT.

THE MWW WILL IMPLEMENT THE OPERATIONAL VALID TIME EVENT CODE 
/VTEC/ FOR ALL LONG TERM MARINE WATCH/WARNING/ADVISORY EVENTS. 
THIS INCLUDES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FIVE NEW MARINE WATCH PRODUCTS 
USING FIVE NEW VALID TIME EVENT CODE /VTEC/ PHENOMENA AND 
SIGNIFICANCE CODE PAIRINGS. 

TABLE 1.  FIVE NEW MARINE WATCHES AND VTEC PHENOMENA AND 
SIGNIFICANCE CODE PAIRINGS

MARINE WATCH EVENT NAME      	PHENOMENA AND SIGNIFICANCE CODE 

GALE WATCH 		 		GL.A
STORM WATCH			     	SR.A
HURRICANCE FORCE WIND WATCH 		HF.A
HAZARDOUS SEAS WATCH			SE.A
HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WATCH  		UP.A

EFFECTIVE AUGUST 5 2008...THE VTEC INFORMATION PREVIOUSLY 
CONTAINED IN THE COASTAL WATERS FORECAST /CWF/ AND NEARSHORE 
MARINE FORECAST /NSH/ PRODUCTS WILL BE FOUND IN THE MWW. SELECTED 
WFOS HAVE BEEN ISSUING THE MWW EXPERIMENTALLY SINCE AUGUST 1 
2007.  FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SEE SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 08-26 
DATED APR 7 2008.

THE PRODUCT TYPE LINE IN THE MASS NEWS DISSEMINATOR HEADER BLOCK 
WILL BE /MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE/. USERS MUST ADD THE NEW PRODUCT 
HEADERS TO THEIR COMMUNICATIONS DATABASES TO RECEIVE THE MWW 
PRODUCTS. THE COMPLETE LIST OF THE NEW MWW COMMUNICATION 
IDENTIFIERS...WHICH TAKE EFFECT AUGUST 5 2008... IS AVAILABLE 
ONLINE...LISTED BY WFO...AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:

    HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/MWW/RESOURCES/NEW_MWW.PDF  

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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