960426:message format change at WSFO MSP (fwd)

• To: nws-changes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Subject: 960426:message format change at WSFO MSP (fwd)
• From: Linda Miller <lmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Fri, 26 Apr 1996 08:43:44 -0600 (MDT)

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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
920 AM EDT FRI APR 26 1996

TO        NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ EMPLOYEES...FAMILY OF
          SERVICES /FOS/ SUBSCRIBERS...NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE
          /NWWS/ SUBSCRIBERS...OTHER NWS CUSTOMERS

FROM      DONALD R. WERNLY...CHIEF...CUSTOMER SERVICE

SUBJECT   SHORT-FUSE SEVERE WEATHER WARNINGS FROM THE MINNEAPOLIS NWS
          OFFICE TO TAKE ON A NEW LOOK...EFFECTIVE MAY 20 1996  
     
    BEGINNING MAY 20 1996 AT 800 AM CDT /1300 UNIVERSAL COORDINATED
TIME OR UTC/...SHORT FUSE SEVERE WEATHER WARNINGS ISSUED BY THE
MINNEAPOLIS NWS OFFICE /AT CHANHASSEN/ WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT
APPEARANCE.  SHORT-FUSE WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED WITH A BULLET FORMAT
INSTEAD OF A LONGER VERSION USED IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
     
    THIS FORMAT ALLOWS CRITICAL INFORMATION TO CLEARLY STANDOUT ON
INDIVIDUAL LINES SEPARATED BY A BLANK LINE.  THE NEW APPEARANCE MAKES
IT EASIER TO REVIEW AND READ THE WARNING QUICKLY.
     
    NO PRODUCT IDENTIFIER/HEADER CHANGES AND NO UNIVERSAL GENERIC
CODES CHANGES ARE REQUIRED BY NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE /NWWS/
CUSTOMERS...FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/ CUSTOMERS...OR OTHER NWS
CUSTOMERS.  HOWEVER SOME TELEVISION STATIONS...POSSIBLY INCLUDING
CABLE TELEVISION...WILL NEED TO ENSURE EQUIPMENT USED TO GENERATE A
CRAWL WILL ACCOMMODATE THE NEW WARNING FORMAT.

     THE SHORT-FUSE WARNING PRODUCTS AFFECTED ARE
                                                                       
SHORT-FUSE WARNING PRODUCT      NWWS ID      WMO HEADER FOR FOS        
    
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WARNING    MSPSVRMSP    WUUS1 KMSP
TORNADO WARNING                 MSPTORMSP    WFUS1 KMSP
FLASH FLOOD WARNING             MSPFFWMSP    WRUS1 KMSP
               
    CONTENT OF THE WARNINGS WILL REMAIN THE SAME...ONLY THE APPEARANCE
WILL LOOK SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.  THE NWS OFFICE IN DES MOINES CONDUCTED
EXTENSIVE TESTING OF THE NEW FORMAT DURING 1994 AND IMPLEMENTED THE
FORMAT LAST YEAR.  SURVEYS FROM USERS SHOWED HIGH MARKS AND POSITIVE
COMMENTS FROM THE MEDIA AND EMERGENCY MANAGERS.  A SAMPLE FOLLOWS 
    
    MSPTORMSP
    WFUS1 KMSP
           
    MNC999-221345-
     
    BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED  !!!THIS IS A TEST!!! 
    TORNADO WARNING
    NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 
    814 AM CDT MON APR 22 1996
     
    *  TORNADO WARNING FOR
       TEST COUNTY - SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA
     
    *  UNTIL 845 AM CDT
     
    *  SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED
       TEST CITY
       EXAMPLE TOWN
     
    *  AT 812 AM CDT DOPPLER RADAR DETECTED A TORNADO 10 MILES WEST OF
TEST CITY MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.
     
    *  THE STORM WILL BE NEAR TEST CITY AT 830 AM
     
    IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IN A HOME
OR BUSINESS IS AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE.

EDWARDS
    
    ...END OF EXAMPLE...
    
    THIS FORMAT WILL BE USED BY THE MINNEAPOLIS NWS OFFICE FOR A TEST
TORNADO WARNING AS PART OF THE TORNADO DRILL ON MAY 13 1996 AT 1000 AM
EDT /1500 UTC/.  THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO ENSURE THAT YOUR WARNING
COMMUNICATION SYSTEM CAN ADAPT TO THE NEW WARNING DESIGN.

     IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS...PLEASE CONTACT

CRAIG M. EDWARDS /METEOROLOGIST-IN-CHARGE/ PH. 612-361-6670 EXT. 642
OR TODD KRAUSE /WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST/  EXT. 726
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE NOAA
1733 LAKE DRIVE WEST
CHANHASSEN MN 55317

                     ...NOTE TO INTERNET USERS...

THIS AND ALL OTHER PENDING NWS SERVICE CHANGE NOTIFICATIONS ARE
AVAILABLE ON THE NWS OFFICE OF METEOROLOGY/S HOME PAGE IN THE
NOTIFICATION SECTION.  THE ADDRESS OF THE NOTIFICATION SECTION /IN
SMALL CASE LETTERS/ IS

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

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