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Tropical Cyclone Public Advisory
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and AWIPS (in parenthesis) headings:
WTPA31-35 PHFO (HFOTCPCP1-5) -- C. Pacific
WTPZ31-35 KNHC (MIATCPEP1-5) -- E. Pacific
WTNT31-35 KNHC (MIATCPAT1-5) -- Atlantic
The Tropical Cyclone Public Advisory contains a list of all current watches and warnings on a tropical or subtropical cyclone (Atlantic and East Pacific only). It also gives the cyclone position in terms of latitude and longitude coordinates and distance from a selected land point or island, as well as the current motion. The advisory includes the maximum sustained winds in miles per hour and the estimated or measured minimum central pressure in millibars and inches. The advisory may also include information on potential storm tides, rainfall or tornadoes associated with the cyclone, as well as any pertinent weather observations.
Public advisories are issued for all Central Pacific tropical cyclones, Atlantic tropical or subtropical cyclones, and for Eastern Pacific tropical or subtropical cyclones. Public advisories are normally issued every six hours. They may be issued every two or three hours when coastal watches or warnings are in effect. Special public advisories may be issued at any time due to significant changes in warnings or in the cyclone.
The numbers 1-5 in the headings are assigned on a rotating basis by cyclone number, i.e., advisories on the first, sixth, or eleventh cyclones of the Central Pacific season would be sent under the WMO header WTPA31 PHFO; advisories on the second, seventh, or twelfth cyclones of the Central Pacific season would be sent under the WMO header WTPA32 PHFO, and so on.
Tropical Cyclone Forecast/Advisory
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and AWIPS (in parenthesis) headings:
WTPA21-25 PHFO (HFOTCMCP1-5) -- C. Pacific
WTPZ21-25 KNHC (MIATCMEP1-5) -- E. Pacific
WTNT21-25 KNHC (MIATCMAT1-5) -- Atlantic
The Tropical Cyclone Forecast/Advisory contains a list of all current watches and warnings on a tropical or subtropical cyclone, as well as the current latitude and longitude coordinates, intensity, and system motion. The advisory contains forecasts of the cyclone positions, intensities, and wind fields for 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 hours from the current synoptic time. The advisory may also include information on any pertinent storm tides associated with the cyclone. All wind speeds in the forecast advisory in given in knots (nautical miles per hour).
Forecast/Advisories are issued on all Central Pacific tropical cyclones, and all Atlantic and eastern Pacific tropical and subtropical cyclones every six hours. Special Forecast/Advisories may be issued at any time due to significant changes in warnings or in the cyclone.
The numbers 1-5 in the headings are assigned by cyclone number, i.e., advisories on the first, sixth, or eleventh cyclones of the Central Pacific season would be sent under the WMO header WTPA21 PHFO; advisories on the second, seventh, or twelfth cyclones of the Central Pacific season would be sent under the WMO header WTPA22 PHFO, and so on.
Tropical Cyclone Discussion
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and AWIPS (in parenthesis) headings:
WTPA41-45 PHFO (HFOTCDCP1-5) -- C. Pacific
WTPZ41-45 KNHC (MIATCDEP1-5) -- E. Pacific
WTNT41-45 KNHC (MIATCDAT1-5) -- Atlantic
The Tropical Cyclone Discussion explains the reasoning for the analysis and forecast of a tropical or subtropical cyclone. It includes a table of the forecast track and intensity.
Tropical Cyclone Discussions are issued on all Central Pacific tropical cyclones, and all Atlantic and eastern Pacific tropical and subtropical cyclones every six hours. Special tropical cyclone discussions may be issued at any time due to significant changes in warnings or in the cyclone.
The numbers 1-5 in the headings are assigned by cyclone number, i.e., discussions on the first, sixth, or eleventh cyclones of the Central Pacific season would be sent under the WMO header WTPA41 PHFO; discussions on the second, seventh, or twelfth cyclones of the Atlantic season would be sent under the WMO header WTPA42 PHFO, and so on.
Tropical Cyclone Surface Wind Speed Probabilities – How to Read
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and AWIPS (in parenthesis) headings:
FOPA11-15 PHFO (HFOPWSCP1-5) -- Central Pacific
FOPZ11-15 KNHC (MIAPWSEP1-5) -- Eastern Pacific
FONT11-15 KNHC (MIAPWSAT1-5) -- Atlantic
The Tropical Cyclone Surface Wind Speed Probabilities text product provides probabilities, in percent, of sustained wind speeds equal to or exceeding 34-, 50-, and 64-knot wind speed thresholds. These wind speed probabilities are based on the track, intensity, and wind structure forecasts and uncertainties from the National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center and are computed for coastal and inland cities as well as offshore locations (e.g., buoys).
These text products are intended to be made available by the issuance deadlines for routine advisories (03, 09, 15, and 21 Coordinated Universal Time - UTC) and to be included with special advisories for all tropical and/or subtropical cyclones.
The numbers 1-5 in the header are assigned on a rotating basis by cyclone number, i.e., probabilities on the first, sixth, or eleventh cyclones of the Central Pacific season would be sent under the WMO header FOPA11 PHFO; probabilities on the second, seventh, or twelfth cyclones of the Central Pacific season would be sent under the WMO header FOPA12 PHFO, and so on.
See Example
List of Cities by Basin: Central Pacific – Eastern Pacific – Western Pacific – Atlantic
Tropical Cyclone Update
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and AWIPS (in parenthesis) headings:
WTPA61-65 PHFO (HFOTCUCP) -- C. Pacific
WTPZ61-65 KNHC (MIATCUEP) -- E. Pacific
WTNT61-65 KNHC (MIATCUAT) -- Atlantic
Tropical Cyclone Updates are brief statements issued in lieu of or preceding special advisories to inform of significant changes in a tropical cyclone or to post or cancel watches or warnings.
Tropical Cyclone Position Estimates
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and AWIPS (in parenthesis) headings:
WTPA51-55 PHFO (HFOTCECP) -- C. Pacific
WTPZ51-55 KNHC (MIATCEEP) -- E. Pacific (rarely issued)
WTNT51-55 KNHC (MIATCEAT) -- Atlantic
Tropical Cyclone Position Estimates are issued between 2-hourly intermdiate advisories whenever a tropical cyclone with a well-defined radar center is within 200 nautical miles of land-based radar in the United States. These estimates give the center location in map coordinates and distance and direction from a well-known point.
Tropical Weather Outlook
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and AWIPS (in parenthesis) headings:
ACPN50 PHFO (HFOTWOCP) -- C. Pacific
ABPZ20 KNHC (MIATWOEP) -- E. Pacific
ABNT20 KNHC (MIATWOAT) -- Atlantic
The Tropical Weather Outlook is a discussion of significant areas of disturbed weather and their potential for development out to 48 hours. It includes (when possible) a nontechnical explanation of the meteorology behind the outlook.
Tropical Weather Outlooks also include a brief descriptions of any tropical (and/or subtropical in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific) cyclones in the region. It also includes the WMO and AWIPS headings of where to find more information on an active cyclone during the first 24 hours of existence.
Tropical Weather Outlooks are issued four times a day during the hurricane season.
Monthly Tropical Weather Summary
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and AWIPS (in parenthesis) headings:
ACPN60 PHFO (HFOTWSCP) -- C. Pacific
ABPZ30 KNHC (MIATWSEP) -- E. Pacific
ABNT30 KNHC (MIATWSAT) -- Atlantic
The Monthly Tropical Weather Summary is issued on the first of every month during the hurricane season. It describes the previous month's tropical cyclone actvity and gives details on the cyclones as known at that time. The last Tropical Weather Summary of the season gives an brief account of the whole season.
Hurricane Season Tropical Cyclone Reports
Central Pacific Archive
Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Archive
The Tropical Cyclone Reports (formerly called Preliminary Reports) contain comprehensive information on each storm, including synoptic history, meteorological statistics, casualties and damages, and the post-analysis best track (six-hourly positions and intensities). Tropical cyclones include depressions, storms and hurricanes. Tropical depressions listed in the table of contents are those that did not reach tropical storm strength.
Tropical Cyclone ICAO Advisory
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and AWIPS (in parenthesis) headings:
FKPA21-25 PHFO (HFOTCAPA1-5) -- C. Pacific
FKPZ21-25 KNHC (MIATCAEP1-5) -- E. Pacific
FKNT21-25 KNHC (MIATCAAT1-5) -- Atlantic
The Aviation Tropical Cyclone Advisory is issued to provide short term tropical cyclone forecast guidance for international aviation safety and routing purposes. The TCA lists the current TC position, motion, and intensity, and includes 12, 18, and 24 hour forecast positions and intensities.
Tropical Cyclone Summary - Fixes
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and AWIPS (in parenthesis) headings:
TXPS41-45 PHFO (HFOTCSSP1-5) -- S. Pacific
TXPN41-45 PHFO (HFOTCSNP1-5) -- C. Pacific
The Tropical Cyclone Summary message provides information to marine interests, military forecasters and national meteorological services of countries/members in the Pacific Ocean area. TCS is issued by CPHC when there is a classifiable (using the Dvorak technique) tropical cyclone activity in the north central or south Pacific. The TCS is a satellite-based estimate of tropical cyclone location, movement, and intensity with a brief remarks section.