NOUS41 KWBC 221850
PNSWSH

TECHNICAL INFORMATION NOTICE 08-47
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
250 PM EDT THU MAY 22 2008

TO:      NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ OFFICES
         FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION /FAA/ USERS
         FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/ SUBSCRIBERS
         OTHER USERS OF NWS AVIATION FORECASTS

FROM:    KEVIN L. JOHNSTON
         CHIEF...AVIATION SERVICES BRANCH 
     
SUBJECT: TEST TAFS TO ENSURE PROPER DECODING OF 30-HOUR TAF
         FORMAT TEST DATE SCHEDULED: MAY 28 2008   

REFER TO SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE /SCN/ 08-15 AND TECHNICAL 
IMPLEMENTATION NOTICE /TIN/ 08-37.

NWS WILL PROVIDE A MONTHLY TEST TAF SO USERS CAN CHECK AND 
EVALUATE THEIR ABILITY TO DECODE THE NEW DATE AND TIME FORMAT.  
GENERALLY NWS WILL PRODUCE TEST TAF PRODUCTS WITH THE 30-HOUR 
TAF FORMAT ON THE LAST WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH THROUGH OCTOBER 
2008 AT 1400 UNIVERSAL COORDINATED TIME /UTC/. 

NWS WILL PROVIDE REMINDERS OF THE TEST TAF AT LEAST 3 DAYS 
BEFORE THE SCHEDULED TEST DAY. IF CRITICAL WEATHER OCCURS  
ON THE TEST DAY...THE TEST WILL BE POSTPONED UNTIL THE NEXT  
NON-CRITICAL WEATHER DAY.  THE NEXT MONTHLY TEST WILL OCCUR  
MAY 28 2008.

A LINK TO THE TAF TESTBED AND TAF FORMAT EXAMPLES IS AVAILABLE 
AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:

  HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/AVIATION/TAF_TESTBED.SHTML

THE 30 HOUR TEST TAF FOR MAY SHOULD LOOK AS FOLLOWS: 

FTXX90 KWBC 281754
TAF KABC 281128Z 2812/2918 VRB05KT P6SM SKC
    FM281800 21012KT P6SM SCT050 BKN120
    FM282100 21015G30KT P6SM FEW040CB SCT070 BKN120
    FM290100 27015KT 3SM -TSRA SCT030CB BKN070
     TEMPO 2902/2904 VRB15G45KT 1/2SM TSRA BKN015CB
    FM290500 27010KT P6SM SCT030 BKN090
    FM291500 VRB05KT P6SM SCT100= 

USERS WILL NEED TO CODE THEIR SYSTEMS FOR FTXX90 KWBC TO SEE 
THIS TAF.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS TECHNICAL INFORMATION 
NOTICE PLEASE REFER TO SCN 08-15 OR CONTACT:

    MICHAEL GRAF
    NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
    SSMC-2 STATION 13314
    1325 EAST-WEST HIGHWAY
    SILVER SPRING MD 20910 
    PHONE: 301-713-1726 X 117 
    EMAIL:MICHAEL.GRAF@NOAA.GOV

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

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

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