960304: METAR Implementation-NOUS (fwd)

• To: nws-changes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Subject: 960304: METAR Implementation-NOUS (fwd)
• From: Linda Miller <lmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Mon, 4 Mar 1996 13:30:12 -0700 (MST)

200 
NOUS40 KWBC 041723
FOS NOTICE NO. 858          03-05-96

AS OF TODAY... AFTER VERBAL APPROVAL FROM ALL MEMBERS OF THE
INTERAGENCY JOINT AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVATIONS PROGRAM
COUNCIL /JAWOP/ :OF WHICH DR. FRIDAY IS THE NWS MEMBER;...
THE NEW IMPLEMENTATION DATE AND TIME FOR THE DOMESTIC
CONVERSION TO THE METAR/TAF CODE FORMAT HAS BEEN CHANGED TO

                   JULY 1... 1996... AT 0800 HOURS UTC

THE DELAY IN THE IMPLEMENTATION FROM THE ORIGINAL JUNE 1 DATE
TO THE NEW JULY 1 DATE IS BASED PRIMARILY UPON DELAYS IN SOFTWARE
CODING AND TESTING THAT OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE GOVERNMENT
FURLOUGHS AND SHUTDOWNS THAT TOOK PLACE THIS PAST DECEMBER AND
JANUARY.  THE IMPLEMENTATION TIME OF 0800 HOURS UTC /0400 HOURS
LOCAL DAYLIGHT TIME ON THE EAST COAST AND 0100 HOURS LDT ON THE
WEST COAST/ IS CONSIDERED AN OPTIMAL TIME TO IMPLEMENT BY THE FAA
FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT.  THE FIRST OF THE MONTH IMPLEMENTATION
WAS MAINTAINED IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF CLIMATE DATA IN A CONSISTENT FORMAT BY
THE NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER.

IN THE NEXT WEEK... THE NWS METAR/TAF HOME PAGE WILL BE UPDATED
TO REFLECT THE NEW DATE... AND A WIDER DISTRIBUTION OF THIS
INFORMATION WILL BE MADE ON AFOS... IN ADDITION TO THE VARIOUS
NWSTG CIRCUITS... VIA A NATIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION MESSAGE.

HOWARD DIAMOND
NWS METAR/TAF IMPLEMENTATION MANAGER
END
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