| HOME | ARCHIVES | FORECASTS | IMAGERY | ABOUT NHC | RECONNAISSANCE |

---

Tropical Cyclone Valid Time Event Code (VTEC) (Text)

Contents

1. Overview
2. Product Description

1. Overview

Note:  This product has become operational beginning with the 2006 hurricane season.

The Tropical Cyclone Watch/Warning text product (TCV) is based upon the Valid Time Event Code (VTEC). It summarizes all new, continued, and canceled tropical cyclone watches and warnings issued by the National Hurricane Center for the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands. Once watches and/or warnings are in effect for the areas mentioned, updates will be issued by the NHC at a minimum of every six hours around 0300, 0900, 1500, and 2100 UTC. TCVs for special advisories will be issued for the same circumstances that apply for a standard advisory. Note: NHC issues watches and warnings using a set of breakpoints.

Following the issuance of NHC tropical cyclone advisories and tropical cyclone updates announcing changes to watches and/or warnings, the TCV will be transmitted operationally to users under the WMO heading of WTNT/81-85/ and AWIPS identifier TCVAT/1-5/. This product will also be will be available on the Internet. This product can be produced for up to five tropical cyclones in the Atlantic basin.

Next:  Product Description