Public Information Statement

NOUS41 KWBC 221200
PNSWSH

SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 09-33
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
800 AM EDT WED APR 22 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:   CHANGES TO THE HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT /HLS/
           FORMAT: EFFECTIVE JUNE 1 2009 

BEGINNING JUNE 1 2009 NWS FORECAST OFFICES /WFOS/ WILL ISSUE THE 
HLS USING AN OVERVIEW BLOCK IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING TROPICAL 
CYCLONE SEGMENTED VALID TIME EVENT CODE /VTEC/ BLOCKS.  THE 
OVERVIEW BLOCK WILL PROVIDE STORM INFORMATION APPLICABLE 
TO...AND OF INTEREST TO...THE ENTIRE COUNTY WARNING AREA/MARINE 
AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR EACH WFO.

THE CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE IN RESPONSE TO USER COMMENTS ABOUT 
THE LENGTH OF THE PRODUCT. THE CHANGES WILL RESULT IN A SHORTER 
OVERALL PRODUCT...WITH STANDARDIZED SECTION HEADERS PROVIDED IN 
AN OPTIONAL OVERVIEW BLOCK AND IN THE VTEC SEGMENTS.  
ADDITIONALLY THE NEW PRODUCT WILL BE MORE COMPATIBLE WITH NOAA 
WEATHER RADIO /NWR/ BROADCASTS AND TONE ALERT PROCEDURES. 

A SUMMARY OF THE PRODUCT FOR 2009 IS ONLINE AT /USE LOWERCASE/:

  HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/HURRICANE/PDFS/HLS.PDF

THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO THE AWIPS IDENTIFIERS...WMO PRODUCT 
HEADINGS OR PRODUCT ISSUANCE TIMES.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS...PLEASE CONTACT:

  TIMOTHY SCHOTT
  NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
  MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH
  1325 EAST WEST HWY ROOM 13124
  SILVER SPRING MARYLAND 20910
  301-713-1677 EXTENSION 122

NATIONAL SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES ARE ONLINE AT /USE LOWERCASE/:

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

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