How To Read The Public Advisory

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How To Read The Public Advisory

The Public Advisory is generally composed of several easily identified sections. These sections if present in the advisory will always occur in the order specified here.

Click on each link to see the section highlighted and read the brief description of the section contents in the example Public Advisory from Hurricane Isabel.

The Basic Sections of the Public Advisory

Click here to highlight all of the basic sections.

Note that the example advisory has additional paragraphs with information on storm surge, inland flooding, rainfall, other hazards, and additional news and information. These are added as the information becomes available to the hurricane specialists.

000
WTNT33 KNHC 180228
TCPAT3
BULLETIN
HURRICANE EXAMPLE ADVISORY NUMBER 48
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL092009
1100 PM EDT WED SEP 17 2009

WMO Header Section

This section contains the assigned United Nations World Meteorology Organization (WMO) document identifier, the National Weather Service document identifier, the storm type and name, advisory number, the issuing center (in this case the NHC), the NHC internal storm identification code (here AL092009... East Pacific storms use "EP" for their designation), and the date and time for the advisory.

<< Back to top -- Next Section >>

...OUTER BANDS OF HURRICANE EXAMPLE MOVING ONSHORE...WEATHER SHOULD
GRADUALLY WORSEN...

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM CAPE FEAR NORTH CAROLINA
TO CHINCOTEAGUE VIRGINIA...INCLUDING PAMLICO AND ALBEMARLE
SOUNDS...AND THE CHESAPEAKE BAY SOUTH OF SMITH POINT. A HURRICANE
WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE
WARNING AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 24 HOURS.

ALL PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO
COMPLETION IN THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT SOUTH OF CAPE FEAR TO
SOUTH SANTEE RIVER SOUTH CAROLINA...AND NORTH OF CHINCOTEAGUE TO
SANDY HOOK NEW JERSEY...INCLUDING DELAWARE BAY. A TROPICAL STORM
WARNING ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM SMITH
POINT NORTHWARD...AND FOR THE TIDAL POTOMAC.

AT 1100 PM EDT...0300 UTC...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE EXAMPLE WAS LOCATED
BY AN AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT NEAR LATITUDE 31.9 NORTH...
LONGITUDE 73.9 WEST OR ABOUT 250 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF CAPE
HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA.

EXAMPLE IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MPH. A TURN TO
THE NORTHWEST WITH AN INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED PRIOR
TO LANDFALL. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...THE CENTER OF EXAMPLE IS
EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA DURING THE DAY
THURSDAY. HOWEVER...CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE OVER A LARGE AREA
WELL BEFORE THE CENTER REACHES THE COAST. TROPICAL STORM
CONDITIONS ARE ALREADY SPREADING ACROSS THE COASTLINE.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 105 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. A
SLIGHT INCREASE IN STRENGTH IS POSSIBLE PRIOR TO LANDFALL.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 115 MILES FROM THE
CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 315 MILES. A BUOY LOCATED WEST OF THE HURRICANE RECENTLY REPORTED
WIND GUSTS TO 74 MPH AND 32 FOOT WAVES.

AN AIR FORCE HURRICANE HUNTER PLANE RECENTLY REPORTED A MINIMUM
CENTRAL PRESSURE OF 956 MB...28.23 INCHES.

STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 7 TO 11 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS...
ALONG WITH EXTREMELY LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...IS
EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE NORTH OF WHERE THE CENTER CROSSES THE
COAST. STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 4 TO 8 FT ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS
IS EXPECTED IN CHESAPEAKE BAY AND THE TIDAL PORTIONS OF ADJACENT
RIVERS.

STORM TOTAL RAINFALLS OF 6 TO 10 INCHES...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER
AMOUNTS...ARE LIKELY IN ASSOCIATION WITH EXAMPLE.

THERE IS A THREAT OF ISOLATED TORNADOES OVER EASTERN NORTH
CAROLINA AND SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA ON THURSDAY.

...SUMMARY OF 1100 PM EDT INFORMATION...
LOCATION...31.9N...73.9W
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...105 MPH
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NORTH-NORTHWEST OR 295 DEGREES AT 13 MPH
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...956 MB

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR
PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER AT 200 AM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 500 AM
EDT.

FORECASTER AVILA

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Page last modified: Wednesday, 18-Feb-2009 15:35:13 GMT