MAJOR CHANGES TO WMO HEADER AND AWIPS IDENTIFIER INFORMATION TAKE EFFECT MAY 8 2001...

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
635 AM EST THU MAR 15 2001

ATTENTION ALL CUSTOMERS OF NWS PRODUCTS - MAJOR CHANGES TO WMO HEADER AND AWIPS IDENTIFIER INFORMATION TAKE EFFECT MAY 8 2001FAILURE TO MAKE CHANGES WILL MEAN INABILITY TO RECEIVE PRODUCTS

ON TUESDAY MAY 8 2001...AT NOON EDT OR 1600 UTC...FORECAST OFFICES IN THE EASTERN REGION OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL COMPLETE THEIR TRANSITION TO END-STATE WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION (WMO) COMMUNICATION HEADINGS FOR MANY HIGH PRIORITY PRODUCTS. THE SECOND LINE OF THE COMMUNICATION HEADING...KNOWN AS THE AWIPS IDENTIFIER...ALSO WILL BE FINALIZED TO REFLECT MODERN SITE LOCATION IDENTIFIERS.

IF A MODERATE OR HIGHER RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER OR FLOODING IS POSTED FOR ANY AREA OF THE UNITED STATES ON MAY 8 BY THE NATIONAL CENTERS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PREDICTION...THE TRANSITION DATE WILL BE POSTPONED UNTIL THURSDAY MAY 10 2001 AT NOON EDT.

IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT ALL CUSTOMERS OF NWS PRODUCTS ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH THE NOAA WEATHER WIRE/DYNCORP SYSTEM...MAKE SURE THAT THEIR COMMUNICATION SYSTEM DIRECTORIES EXACTLY MATCH THE WMO HEADINGS LISTED BELOW...AS OF NOON ON MAY 8TH. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL PREVENT SEVERE WEATHER WARNINGS AND OTHER HIGH PRIORITY MESSAGES FROM REACHING THEIR INTENDED AUDIENCE.

THE FOLLOWING IS A LISTING OF HEADER CHANGES FOR PRODUCTS ORIGINATING FROM THE NWS FORECAST OFFICE LOCATED IN TAUNTON MASSACHUSETTS. FOR A COMPLETE LISTING OF ALL EASTERN REGION HEADER CHANGES...PLEASE REFER TO THE WEBSITE

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/er/hq/wmo/WFO_BOX.htm

CHANGES TO NWS - TAUNTON PRODUCTS...

PRODUCT NAME OLD WMO HEADER NEW WMO HEADER
OLD AWIPS ID NEW AWIPS ID