Public Information Statement

NOUS41 KWBC 182047
PNSWSH

SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 09-08
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
145 PM EST DAY FEB 20 2009

TO:		SUBSCRIBERS:
                -FAMILY OF SERVICES
		-NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE
		-EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK 
		OTHER NWS PARTNERS...USERS AND EMPLOYEES

FROM:		THERESE Z. PIERCE
		CHIEF...MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH

SUBJECT:	FORMAT CHANGE TO THE MONTHLY TROPICAL WEATHER 
                SUMMARY PRODUCT: EFFECTIVE MAY 15 2009 

EFFECTIVE MAY 15 2009 THE TROPICAL WEATHER SUMMARY /TWS/ 
PRODUCT...PROVIDING A SUMMARY OF THE TROPICAL CYCLONES FOR THE 
PRECEDING MONTH IN THE HURRICANE SEASON...WILL CHANGE FROM A 
NARRATIVE TO A MAINLY TABULAR FORMAT. 

THE COMMUNICATIONS IDENTIFIERS FOR THE AFFECTED PRODUCTS:

HURRICANE BASIN		AWIPS ID	WMO HEADING
ATLANTIC		ABNT30 KNHC	TWSAT
EASTERN PACIFIC		APBZ30 KNHC	TWSEP
CENTRAL PACIFIC		ACPN60 PHFO	TWSCP

THE TWS HAS TRADITIONALLY CONTAINED A NARRATIVE SUMMARY OF THE 
LIFE CYCLE OF EACH TROPICAL CYLONE OCCURRING DURING THE 
PRECEDING MONTH FOR USERS WITH HISTORICAL OR CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA 
NEEDS. HOWEVER BECAUSE POST-STORM ANALYSIS IS RARELY COMPLETE BY 
THE END OF THE MONTH...TWS PRODUCTS CAN USUALLY ONLY PROVIDE 
WEATHER INFORMATION ALREADY CONTAINED IN REAL-TIME OPERATIONAL 
PRODUCTS. ACCURATE INFORMATION ON IMPACTS IS ALSO GENERALLY 
UNAVAILABLE AT THE NORMAL TWS ISSUANCE TIMES.  

BEGINNING IN 2009 THE TWS WILL CONTAIN A TABLE OF BASIC 
METEOROLOGICAL STATISTICS...SUCH AS THE DATES OF OCCURRENCE AND 
ESTIMATED PEAK INTENSITY...FOR ALL OF THE SEASON/S TROPICAL 
CYCLONES TO DATE. NARRATIVE SUMMARIES FOR INDIVIDUAL CYCLONES 
WILL NO LONGER BE INCLUDED...ALTHOUGH BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS FOR 
RECORDS OF INTEREST MAY BE PROVIDED.

AN EXAMPLE OF THE TWS PRODUCT FOR 2009 IS PROVIDED ONLINE AT 
/USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:

	HTTP://WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/TWS_EXAMPLE.SHTML

USERS REQUIRING COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ON EACH TROPICAL 
CYCLONE...INCLUDING SYNOPTIC HISTORY...METEOROLOGICAL 
STATISTICS...CASUALTIES AND DAMAGES...AND THE POST-ANALYSIS BEST 
TRACK /SIX-HOURLY POSITIONS AND INTENSITIES/...ARE ENCOURAGED TO 
CONSULT THE END OF SEASON TROPICAL CYCLONE REPORTS:

THE TROPICAL CYCLONE REPORTS FOR 2008 IN THE ATLANTIC BASIN ARE 
PROVIDED ONLINE AT /USE LOWERCASE/:

	HTTP://WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/2008ATLAN.SHTML

THE TROPICAL CYCLONE REPORTS FOR 2008 IN THE EAST PACIFIC BASIN 
ARE PROVIDED ONLINE AT /USE LOWERCASE/:

	HTTP://WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/2008EPAC.SHTML

THE TROPICAL CYCLONE REPORTS FOR 2008 IN THE CENTRAL PACIFIC 
HURRICANE BASIN ARE PROVIDED ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:

	HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/CPHC/SUMMARIES

THE NHC IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL METEOROLOGICAL DECISIONS 
CONCERNING FORECASTING OF TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL SYSTEMS FOR 
THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND THE EASTERN PACIFIC OCEAN...NORTH OF THE 
EQUATOR AND EAST OF 140 DEGREES WEST LONGITUDE.

THE CPHC IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL METEOROLOGICAL DECISIONS 
CONCERNING FORECASTING OF TROPICAL SYSTEMS FOR THE PACIFIC OCEAN 
NORTH OF THE EQUATOR FROM 140 DEGREES WEST TO 180 DEGREES WEST 
LONGITUDE.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS...PLEASE CONTACT:

    JAMES FRANKLIN
    NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
    NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER
    11691 S.W. 17TH STREET
    MIAMI FLORIDA 33165
    PHONE:  305-229-4475

    RAYMOND TANABE
    NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
    CENTRAL PACIFIC HURRICANE CENTER
    2525 CORREA ROAD SUITE 250
    HONOLULU, HAWAII  96822
    PHONE: 808-973-5275 

NATIONAL SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES ARE ONLINE AT  /USE LOWER CASE/:

     HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/NOTIF.HTM

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