NOUS41 KWBC 021427

PNSWSH

Service Change Notice 12-04

National Weather Service Headquarters Washington DC

1027 AM EST Thu Feb 2 2012

To:       Subscribers:

          -Family of Services

          -NOAA Weather Wire Service

          -Emergency Managers Weather Information Network

          -NOAAPORT

          Other NWS Partners and NWS Employees

From:     Eli Jacks

          Chief, Fire and Public Weather Services Branch

Subject:  Changes in Fire Weather Forecast Zones for Middle and

          East Tennessee Effective March 6, 2012

Effective Tuesday March 6, 2012 at 7:00 AM Eastern Standard Time, 1200 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), NWS Weather Forecast Offices (WFO) in Morristown (MRX) and Nashville (OHX), Tennessee, will reconfigure their fire weather forecast zones with respect to Moore County, TN. Specifically, Moore County, TN, will become part of WFO OHX, renamed TNZ502, Highland Rim District - South (old zone name Tennessee Forest District 5 South). Currently this zone is part of WFO MRX, named TNZ300, Cumberland District - South (old zone name Tennessee Forest District 3).

After this zone change, all fire weather forecasts and products for Moore County, TN, will be contained in the standard suite of fire weather products issued by WFO OHX. In addition, the following Tennessee Forest (TF) District names will become effective on March 6, 2012:

Zone Code Old Zone Name New Zone Name

---------------------------------------------------------------

TNZ150 TF District 1 East Tennessee District-East

TNZ200 TF District 2 East Tennessee District-West

TNZ300 TF District 3 Cumberland District-South

TNZ400 TF District 4 Cumberland District-North

TNZ501 TF District 5 North Highland Rim District-North

TNZ502 TF District 5 South Highland Rim District-South

These changes have been requested by the Tennessee Division of Forestry (TN DOF) and are reflected in its current policy.

Partners and users of WFO MRX and OHX fire weather products will need to update their system(s) to continue receiving correct fire weather forecasts/products.

An updated fire weather zone map shapefile containing the new zones is online at:

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/geodata/catalog/wsom/html/firezone.htm

If you have any questions or comments about this reconfiguration of fire weather zones or the TN Fire District name changes please contact:

George Mathews Larry Vannozzi

Meteorologist-in-Charge Meteorologist-in-Charge

WFO Morristown WFO Nashville

George.Mathews@noaa.gov Larry.Vannozzi@noaa.gov

Or Or

David Gaffin John Cohen

Fire Weather Program Leader Fire Weather Program Leader

WFO Morristown WFO Nashville

David.Gaffin@noaa.gov John.M.Cohen@noaa.gov