970925: Gulf of Mexico Marine Reconfiguration

• To: nws-changes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Subject: 970925: Gulf of Mexico Marine Reconfiguration
• From: Linda Miller <lmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Thu, 25 Sep 1997 12:27:15 -0600 (MDT)

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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...PART 1 OF 2 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
1045 AM EDT WED SEP 24 1997

TO         FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/ SUBSCRIBERS...NOAA WEATHER
           WIRE SERVICE /NWWS/ SUBSCRIBERS...OTHER NATIONAL 
           WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ CUSTOMERS...NWS EMPLOYEES
 
FROM       THERESE PIERCE...CHIEF...HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL SERVICES
 
SUBJECT    RECONFIGURATION OF COASTAL MARINE FORECAST ZONES ALONG
           THE GULF OF MEXICO.. EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 2 1997

THE NWS WILL RECONFIGURE COASTAL MARINE FORECAST ZONES ALONG THE
GULF OF MEXICO ON DECEMBER 2 1997...AT 1300 UNIVERSAL COORDINATED
TIME /UTC/.  THESE RECONFIGURATIONS WILL PROVIDE MARINE WEATHER
FORECASTERS THE ABILITY TO ISSUE MORE SITE-SPECIFIC FORECASTS TO
USERS BY AFFORDING NEEDED FLEXIBILITY TO GROUP NEW SMALLER ZONES
TOGETHER OR SEPARATE THEM TO MORE ACCURATELY HIGHLIGHT ONGOING
AND PREDICTED WEATHER.

TABLE 1 LISTS THE PRODUCT CATEGORIES AFFECTED.  TABLE 2 IS A LIST
OF THE NEW ZONES.  MARINE FORECAST ZONES ARE DEFINED BY
RECOGNIZABLE GEOGRAPHIC LANDMARKS (COASTAL CITIES...CAPES...
POINTS...ETC.) AND EXTEND UP TO 60 NAUTICAL MILES /NM/ OFFSHORE.

MARINE FORECAST ZONE IDENTIFIERS FOLLOW THE UNIVERSAL GEOGRAPHIC
CODE /UGC/ CONVENTION  SSZNNN  WHERE SS IN THESE CASES IS AN
OCEAN AREA AND NNN IS THE ZONE /Z/ NUMBER...WHICH IS DETERMINED
AS FOLLOWS 
           LEFT N     =    ISSUING NWS OFFICE FOR WARNINGS
           MIDDLE N   =    TYPE OF BODY OF WATER
           RIGHT N    =    ZONE NUMBER SEQUENCE...INCREASING FROM
                           NORTH TO SOUTH AND WEST TO EAST.

OTHER PRODUCTS ISSUED /NOT JUST COASTAL WATERS FORECASTS/ WILL BE
AFFECTED BY ZONE RECONFIGURATIONS.  THIS IS BECAUSE THE Z FORM OF
THE UGC USED IN CERTAIN PRODUCTS WILL CONTAIN THE NEW ZONE
NUMBERS TO FURTHER IDENTIFY SPECIFIC AREAS BY ZONE. THE MARINE
PRODUCTS USING THE Z FORM OF THE UGC ARE LISTED IN TABLE 1 WITH
THEIR NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE /NWWS/ AND FAMILY OF SERVICES
/FOS/ IDENTIFIERS.  USERS SELECTING INFORMATION FOR SPECIFIC
ZONES WILL NEED TO THE USE NEW UGCS FOR THE RECONFIGURED ZONES.

THIS INFORMATION UPDATES APPENDICES A AND B OF WEATHER SERVICE
OPERATIONS MANUAL CHAPTER D-51.  UPDATED MARINE ZONE MAPS WILL BE
POSTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AT THE FOLLOWING URL /SMALL CASE/           
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/MODERNIZE/ST-MAPS/MAPS.HTM 

BOTH PARTS OF THIS MESSAGE ARE POSTED ON THE FOLLOWING URL /SMALL
CASE/  HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM


TABLE 1. PRODUCT CATEGORIES AFFECTED BY ZONE RECONFIGURATIONS. 

PRODUCT                           NWWS ID   WMO/FOS HEADER+++++
CWF/ COASTAL WATERS FORECAST      CCCCWFXXX  FZUS6 KXXX
SMW/ SPECIAL MARINE WARNING       CCCSMWXXX  WMUS1 KXXX OR WMUS01
MWS/ MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT     CCCMWSXXX  FZUS60 KXXX
TOR/ COMBINED TORNADO/SPECIAL     CCCTORXXX  WFUS1 KXXX OR WFUS01 
       MARINE WARNING
SVR/ COMBINED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CCCSVRXXX  WUUS1 KXXX OR WUUS01
       AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING
PNS/ PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT CCCPNSXXX  ABUS34 KXXX         

XXX IS THE ISSUING OFFICE
CCC IS THE NWWS SATELLITE UPLINK SITE

+++++ NOTE - WMO/FOS HEADERS WILL BE CHANGED SOMETIME AFTER
DECEMBER 2 1997.  THE NWS OFFICE OF SYSTEMS OPERATIONS WILL BE

DECEMBER 2 1997.  THE NWS OFFICE OF SYSTEMS OPERATIONS WILL BE
SENDING SPECIAL NOTICES REGARDING SUCH CHANGES. ++++++ 
 
TABLE 2. NEW MARINE ZONES EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 2 1997 AT 1300 UTC.

2A.   CWF ISSUED BY MIAMI FL  XXX=MIA   CCC=MIA 
SMW MWS TOR SVR PNS  ISSUED BY TAMPA BAY AREA FL XXX=TBW CCC=MIA

..UGC..  ..ZONE..
GMZ856-  COASTAL WATERS FROM BONITA BEACH TO ENGLEWOOD FL OUT 20
           NM
GMZ876-  WATERS FROM BONITA BEACH TO ENGLEWOOD FL EXTENDING
           FROM 20 TO 50 NM
GMZ830-  TAMPA BAY
GMZ853-  COASTAL WATERS FROM ENGLEWOOD TO TARPON SPRINGS FL
           OUT 20 NM
GMZ873-  WATERS FROM ENGLEWOOD TO TARPON SPRINGS FL...EXTENDING
           20 TO 50 NM
GMZ850-  COASTAL WATERS FROM TARPON SPRINGS TO SUWANNEE RIVER...
           FL OUT 20 NM
GMZ870-  WATERS FROM TARPON SPRINGS TO SUWANNEE RIVER FL
           EXTENDING FROM 20 TO 50 NM
GMZ890-  OUTLOOK FOR BONITA BEACH TO SUWANNEE RIVER FL OUT 50 NM


2B.   CWF ISSUED BY MIAMI FL XXX=MIA  CCC=MIA
      SMW MWS TOR SVR PNS ISSUED BY TALLAHASSEE FL XXX=TLH CCC=MIA
      
GMZ755-  COASTAL WATERS FROM SUWANNEE RIVER TO APALACHICOLA            
           FL OUT 20 NM
GMZ775-  WATERS FROM SUWANNEE RIVER TO APALACHICOLA FL
           EXTENDING FROM 20 NM TO 50 NM
GMZ790-  OUTLOOK FOR SUWANNEE RIVER TO APALACHICOLA FL OUT 50 NM

2C.   CWF ISSUED BY NEW ORLEANS LA XXX=NEW   CCC=NEW
      SMW MWS TOR SVR PNS ISSUED BY TALLAHASSEE FL XXX=TLH CCC=MIA

GMZ750-  COASTAL WATERS FROM  APALACHICOLA TO DESTIN FL OUT 20 NM
GMZ770-  WATERS FROM APALACHICOLA TO DESTIN FL EXTENDING FROM
           20 TO 50 NM
GMZ791-  OUTLOOK FOR APALACHICOLA TO DESTIN FL OUT 50 NM