Collaboration on Customized NWS Alerts/Advisories

1. Collaboration on Customized NWS Alerts/Advisories Bruce Sinkula Product Manager, Data Products Group Weather Central, LP

2. Collaboration on Customized NWS Alerts/Advisories • Weather Central, LP, like all other NWS “core partners” disseminate NWS ‘alert’ information to their clients.

3. Collaboration on Customized NWS Alerts/Advisories • Weather Central, LP, like all other NWS “core partners” disseminate NWS ‘alert’ information to their clients. • Partners usually decode these ‘alerts’ for display in various formats (on-line, on-air, mobile, etc).

4. Collaboration on Customized NWS Alerts/Advisories • Weather Central, LP, like all other NWS “core partners” disseminate NWS ‘alert’ information to their clients. • Partners usually decode these ‘alerts’ for display in various formats (on-line, on-air, mobile, etc). • Our clients (mostly television stations) not only get ‘alerts’ important to their locale (DMA), but ‘alerts’ from across the country.

5. Collaboration on Customized NWS Alerts/Advisories • NWS “alerts” are visible to the vast cross-section of meteorologists.

6. Collaboration on Customized NWS Alerts/Advisories • Partners usually decode these ‘alerts’ for display in various formats (on-line, on-air, mobile, etc). • Partners rely on the NWS to follow pre-established formatting protocols to accurately depict the ‘alerts’. • The NWSFO’s are extremely reliable in maintaining these standards. • Any deviation, in protocol, usually creates problems for the “core partners” and our clients.

7. Collaboration on Customized NWS Alerts/Advisories • Any deviation, in protocol, usually creates problems for the “core partners” and our clients. 000 WGUS43 KDMX 091901 FLWDMX BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 201 PM CDT THU JUN 9 2011 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A FLOOD WARNING FOR ALL OR PORTIONS OF THE FOLLOWING RIVERS IN IOWA... DES MOINES RIVER...MIDDLE RIVER...CEDAR CREEK AFFECTING THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN IOWA...MADISON...MAHASKA... MARION...WAPELLO...WARREN

8. Collaboration on Customized NWS Alerts/Advisories • Any deviation, in protocol, usually creates problems for the “core partners” and our clients. IAC123-179-101901- /O.NEW.KDMX.FL.W.0046.110610T1042Z-110612T1200Z/ LAT...LON 4110 9253 4117 9263 4124 9269 4128 9281 4125 9283 4109 9257 IAC179-101900- /O.NEW.KDMX.FL.W.0047.110610T1012Z-110613T0112Z/ LAT...LON 4113 9264 4116 9261 4095 9219 4090 9229 IAC121-181-101900- /O.NEW.KDMX.FL.W.0048.110609T2322Z-110611T2313Z/ LAT...LON 4149 9338 4149 9342 4150 9348 4139 9371 4137 9369 4142 9354 IAC123-125-101900- /O.NEW.KDMX.FL.W.0049.110610T1007Z-110612T1000Z/ LAT...LON 4121 9293 4121 9287 4124 9287 4125 9281 4127 9283 4127 9289

9. Collaboration on Customized NWS Alerts/Advisories • Any deviation, in protocol, usually creates problems for the “core partners” and our clients. IAC123-179-101901- /O.NEW.KDMX.FL.W.0046.110610T1042Z-110612T1200Z/ LAT...LON 4110 9253 4117 9263 4124 9269 4128 9281 4125 9283 4109 9257 IAC179-101900- /O.NEW.KDMX.FL.W.0047.110610T1012Z-110613T0112Z/ LAT...LON 4113 9264 4116 9261 4095 9219 4090 9229 IAC121-181-101900- /O.NEW.KDMX.FL.W.0048.110609T2322Z-110611T2313Z/ LAT...LON 4149 9338 4149 9342 4150 9348 4139 9371 4137 9369 4142 9354 IAC123-125-101900- /O.NEW.KDMX.FL.W.0049.110610T1007Z-110612T1000Z/ LAT...LON 4121 9293 4121 9287 4124 9287 4125 9281 4127 9283 4127 9289 CounterClockwise Clockwise

10. Collaboration on Customized NWS Alerts/Advisories Non-VTEC ‘alerts’ • Sometimes hazardous weather conditions do meet pre-determined VTEC warning criteria. • The need still exists to warn the public of these local or regional hazards. • These regional hazards should not be labeled as a “warning”, “watch”, or “advisory”. This is to minimize confusion among our clients as well as the general public.

11. Collaboration on Customized NWS Alerts/Advisories Non-VTEC ‘alerts’ • For example, fire dangers still exist even though the criteria for a VTEC “Red Flag Warning” are not met. FNUS63 KGID 071527 RFDGID GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER STATEMENT...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE 1027 AM CDT THU APR 7 2011 KSZ005>007-017>019-NEZ046-047-049-060>064-072>077-082>087-072300- PHILLIPS-SMITH-JEWELL-ROOKS-OSBORNE-MITCHELL-SHERMAN-HOWARD-POLK- DAWSON-BUFFALO-HALL-HAMILTON-YORK-GOSPER-PHELPS-KEARNEY-ADAMS- CLAY-FILLMORE-FURNAS-HARLAN-FRANKLIN-WEBSTER-NUCKOLLS-THAYER- 1027 AM CDT THU APR 7 2011 ...EXTREME FIRE DANGER TODAY... THE GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER INDEX WILL BE IN THE EXTREME CATEGORY THIS AFTERNOON.

12. Collaboration on Customized NWS Alerts/Advisories Non-VTEC ‘alerts’ • An example of potentially confusing terminology. NOUS45 KPSR 022100 PNSPSR PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ 200 PM MDT MON MAY 2 2011 ...NEW LOCAL DUST STORM WARNING PRODUCT... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PHOENIX WILL BEGIN ISSUING LOCAL DUST STORM WARNINGS USING THE SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT PRODUCT CATEGORY...WMO PRODUCT WWUS85.

13. Collaboration on Customized NWS Alerts/Advisories Concluding Remarks • The vast majority of NWS ‘alerts’ follow pre-established protocols. However, mistakes or inconsistencies do create a “barrier” for entry into this space. • VTEC does not cover every local or regional hazard. Ideally, it should. Somehow VTEC coding protocol needs to evolve with the changing hazards potential climate change can bring. • When new products are needed, collaboration with “core partners” is requested to provide input and minimize public confusion.