Experimental Marine Weather Warning Product

1. Experimental Marine Weather Warning Product Marine Program Leaders Meeting Silver Spring, MD October 24, 2007 Mark Tew National Marine Weather Program Leader OCWWS – Marine and Coastal Weather Services Branch

2. Watch / Warning / AdvisoryHow does the rest of NWS do it? • Hydrological Program– (FFA/FLW/FLS) • Flood Watch • Flood Warning • Flood Advisory • Coastal Hazards Program – (CFW) • Coastal Flood Watch • Coastal Flood Warning • Coastal Flood Advisory • Winter Weather Program – (WSW) • Winter Weather Watch • Winter Weather Warning • Winter Weather Advisory • Non-Precipitation Program –(NPW) • Non-Precipitation Watch • Non-Precipitation Warning • Non-Precipitation Advisory Marine Weather Warning

3. Current Long Duration Marine Warning Program • No Marine Weather Watch • No Marine Weather Warning Bulletin • Marine Hazards Headlined in CWF, NSH and GLF • Similar to issuing Blizzard Warnings using the ZFP • CWF and NSH contain VTEC Strings • Forces permanent VTEC string in forecast products • ROU – used when no hazards are in effect • GLF has NO VTEC • VTEC hole in our marine warning program • Marine Weather Warnings and Advisories (24 total) • Hurricane Force Wind Warning • Storm Warning • Gale Warning • Small Craft Advisories • Hurricane/Tropical Storm Watches/Warnings Marine Weather Warning

4. Small Craft Advisory in CWF SC.Y in VTEC String ANZ532>534-030815- /O.CON.KLWX.SC.Y.0071.060603T1200Z-060604T0100Z/ CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM SANDY POINT TO NORTH BEACH- CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM NORTH BEACH TO DRUM POINT- CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM DRUM POINT TO SMITH POINT- 423 PM EDT FRI JUN 2 2006 ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING... .TONIGHT...S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. WAVES 2 FT. SHOWERS AND TSTMS. VSBY 1 TO 3 NM. .SAT...SW WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. WAVES 3 FT. SHOWERS LIKELY WITH A CHANCE OF TSTMS. VSBY 1 TO 3 NM. .SAT NIGHT...N WINDS 15 TO 20 KT EARLY IN THE EVENING...DECREASING TO 10 TO 15 KT. WAVES 3 FT. …etc. Marine Weather Warning

5. Proposal • Develop New Marine Weather Warning Bulletin • Proposed by WFO Eureka and WRH • Accepted at National Marine Program Leaders Meeting in June 2006 • Motivation • Consistency with other warning programs • Improves understanding and use of NWS Warning products • Standardizes procedures for forecasters • Provides needed warning tool • CWF headline practice shows the need for Watches • …Gale Warning Expected Tuesday… • Vehicle to carry VTEC from CWF and NSH • Fills VTEC Hole in the Open Waters of the Great Lakes • Value to Users and Partners • Allows for more detailed warning information • Easier to obtain using automated means

6. Motivation – Value to customers • The new Marine Weather Warning will allow forecasters to paint a picture of the synoptic situation and link it to the resulting hazardous wind or seas situation • Current approach does not connect the “why” with the “what” Marine Weather Warning

7. MWW Hazards Tropical Hazards Transfer to HLS in 2008 • Marine Watches • Hurricane Watch • Tropical Storm Watch • Hurricane Force Wind Watch • Storm Watch • Gale Watch • Hazardous Seas Watch • Heavy Freezing Spray Watch • New Watch Products • Marine Warnings • Hurricane Warning • Tropical Storm Warning • Hurricane Force Wind Warning • Storm Warning • Gale Warning • Hazardous Seas Warning • Heavy Freezing Spray Warning Marine Weather Warning

8. MWW Hazards - Continued • Marine Advisories • Ashfall Advisory • Brisk Wind Advisory • Dense Fog Advisory • Dense Smoke Advisory • Freezing Spray Advisory • Low Water Advisory • Small Craft Advisory • Small Craft Advisory for Hazardous Seas • Small Craft Advisory for Rough Bar • Small Craft Advisory for Winds Marine Weather Warning

9. Partner Acceptance • MWW Proposal endorsed by National Partners • Presented at Partners Meeting in June 2006 & 2007 • Prefer VTEC in one hazard product like WSW & NPW • Problems decoding VTEC in two forecast products • Both contain “ROU” codes • MWW Supported by Great Lakes Users – Feb 07 • Lake Carriers Association & International Ship Masters • Formally approved the MWW proposal • USCG Ninth District • MWW would improve the dispatching of ships for search and rescue operations • Provide more meteorology (the why) for staff briefings Marine Weather Warning

10. Requirements Development • Chartered MWW Improvement Team • Developed Requirements and Project Plan • MWW Formatter • Developed by Greg Mann at WFO Detroit • Prototype transfer of field development to AWIPS baseline • Expedite product implementation • Establish MWW Test Sites • Six sites testing today, up to 13 sites in Nov • Issue experimental MWW with “E” VTEC • Continue operational VTEC in CWF and NSH • Evaluation of MWW Products • Provide demonstration results and customer feedback • Target – AWIPS OB8.3 for Implementation in Fall 2008 Marine Weather Warning

11. MWW User Feedback • Great Lakes Partner/Vendor • This is an essential product. It has taken way too long to develop. Experimental usage should be expanded to all offices that have open water responsibility ASAP! • Please make this product available for all Great Lakes waters ASAP, even if in an experimental mode. • Later E-mail message: • I must admit that I have become frustrated with how long it has taken to implement VTEC and H-VTEC but I'm sure there are many behind the scenes issues to deal with.  • I worded my hopes for expanding the use of experimental VTEC in the MWW product so strongly because I have an immediate need for it. • Retired Meteorology professor and marine meteorologist from Hawaii • On a scale of 0 to 10 (10 highest), rate how easy you found the product/service to interpret and use. RATING: 8. • What features did you like or find useful? The attempt to be specific as possible.

12. MWW User Feedback • Amateur radio operator from Honolulu • On a scale of 0 to 10 (10 highest), rate technical quality of this product/service (e.g., forecast accuracy, timeliness, problems with display). RATING: 10 • On a scale of 0 to 10 (10 highest), rate how easy you found the product/service to interpret and use. RATING: 10 • COMMENT: the \"Geico caveman\" would react against my input Marine Weather Warning

13. Common Alerting Protocol - CAP • NWS CAP IWT (OSIP 07-024) unable to parse the CAP Instruction element out of existing WMO-formatted text W/W/A products generated by AWIPS • Proposal – add set of “Instruction markers” in WMO-formatted text W/W/A and associated statement products generated by AWIPS • On Sep 7, 2007, Proposal agreed upon by OCWWS Service Program leads, Regional Headquarters and a group of national NWS partners • On OCT 2, 2007 – CAP added to MWW Formatter • Instruction Field markers inserted around the MWW-defined CTAs • Permits the use of the Instruction Field markers in an experimental product (MWW) in a prototyping and risk reduction effort. • The MWW is the first text product to contain Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) markup tags Marine Weather Warning

14. CAP Format “The Order requires EAS participants to accept messages using Common Alerting Protocol (CAP)…to ensure the efficient and rapid transmission of EAS alerts to the American public in a variety of formats (including text, audio and video) and via different means (broadcast, cable, satellite, and other networks) and to promote the development of Next Generation EAS.” Federal Communications Commission Announcement May 31, 2007 http://www.eic.org/docs/FCCCAPEASnotice.pdf Marine Weather Warning

15. MWW Formatter Changes • Updated the VTEC upgrade/ downgrade/replacement table • Insert the CAP instruction tags around the MWW definition CTAs • Temporarily include the thunderstorm disclaimer Marine Weather Warning

16. MWW Example #1 WHUS76 KMFR 091500 MWWMFR EXPERIMENTAL...URGENT – MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR 700 AM PST FRI MAR 9 2007 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM PST THIS EVENING... .WINDS WILL INCREASE LATE THIS MORNING AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING STRONG COLD FRONT THAT WILL REACH THE COAST BY LATE AFTERNOON. SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE TO GALES LATE THIS MORNING. AFTER THE FRONT PASSES THROUGH THE WATERS WINDS WILL BECOME NORTHWEST AND DIMINISH BELOW GALES TO SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WINDS. PZZ350-356-370-376-092300- /E.NEW.KMFR.GL.W.0001.070309T1600Z-070310T0500Z/ COASTAL WATERS FROM FLORENCE TO CAPE BLANCO OR OUT 20 NM COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE BLANCO OR TO PT. ST. GEORGE CA OUT 20 NM WATERS FROM FLORENCE TO CAPE BLANCO OR FROM 20 TO 60 NM WATERS FROM CAPE BLANCO OR TO PT. ST. GEORGE CA FROM 20 TO 60 NM- 705 AM PST FRI MAR 9 2007 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM PST THIS EVENING... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEDFORD HAS ISSUED A GALE WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM THIS EVENING. SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE LATE THIS MORNING AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT...WITH EXPECTED WINDS OF 35 TO 40 KT WITH GUSTS TO 45 KT. WINDS WILL BECOME NORTHWEST AND DIMINISH BELOW GALES BEHIND THE FRONT LATE THIS EVENING. <INSTRUCTION> A GALE WARNING MEANS WINDS OF 34 TO 47 KNOTS ARE IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. OPERATING A VESSEL IN GALE CONDITIONS REQUIRES EXPERIENCE AND PROPERLY EQUIPPED VESSELS. IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT MARINERS WITHOUT THE PROPER EXPERIENCE SEEK SAFE HARBOR PRIOR TO THE ONSET OF GALE CONDITIONS. </END INSTRUCTION> $$ THIS PRODUCT DOES NOT INCLUDE INFORMATION ON SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES. SEE PRODUCTS SUCH AS SPECIAL MARINE WARNINGS... MARINE WEATHER STATEMENTS...WATCH COUNTY NOTIFICATIONS AND THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK. Start CAP Instruction Tag End CAP Instruction TAG Temporary Disclaimer

17. MWW Example #2 WHUS73 KDTX 030758 MWWDTX EXPERIMENTAL...URGENT - MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI 358 AM EDT WED OCT 3 2007 ...GUSTY WINDS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE MORNING... .LOW PRESSURE WILL DEEPEN AS IT LIFTS FROM LAKE SUPERIOR INTO CANADA THIS MORNING...DRAGGING AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT ACROSS THE REGION LATE THIS MORNING. GUSTY SOUTH TO SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE MORNING ALONG AND AHEAD OF THIS COLD FRONT. THE WINDS AND WAVES WILL SUBSIDE THIS AFTERNOON AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE REGION. LHZ441>443-031800- /E.EXT.KDTX.SC.Y.0156.000000T0000Z-071003T1800Z/ PORT AUSTIN TO HARBOR BEACH MI-HARBOR BEACH TO PORT SANILAC MI- PORT SANILAC TO PORT HURON MI- 358 AM EDT WED OCT 3 2007 ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON... THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON. SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 25 KNOTS WILL VEER TO THE SOUTHWEST BY LATE MORNING. THE WINDS WILL DIMINISH TO 10 TO 15 KNOTS THIS AFTERNOON. WAVES OF 3 TO 5 FEET THIS MORNING WILL SUBSIDE TO 2 TO 4 FEET DURING THE AFTERNOON. <INSTRUCTION> A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MEANS THAT WIND SPEEDS OF 21 TO 33 KNOTS ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE HAZARDOUS WAVE CONDITIONS TO SMALL CRAFT. INEXPERIENCED MARINERS... ESPECIALLY THOSE OPERATING SMALLER VESSELS SHOULD AVOID NAVIGATING IN THESE CONDITIONS. </END INSTRUCTION> $$ THIS PRODUCT DOES NOT INCLUDE INFORMATION ON SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES. SEE PRODUCTS SUCH AS SPECIAL MARINE WARNINGS... MARINE WEATHER STATEMENTS...WATCH COUNTY NOTIFICATIONS AND THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK.

18. MWW WFO Test Sites • DTX – Detroit/Pontiac, MI • HFO – Honolulu, HI • MFR – Medford, OR • MOB – Mobile, AL • TBW – Tampa Bay, FL • LOT – Chicago, IL • BUF – Buffalo, NY • CAR – Caribou, ME • CHS – Charleston, SC • GRR – Grand Rapids, MI • HOU – Houston, TX • IWX – Northern Indiana, IN • MKX – Milwaukee, WI • New MWW Test Sites in November 2007 Marine Weather Warning

19. MWW Key Milestones

20. Steps to Produce MWW • Create Hazard grids as you normally would • Have CWF saved as a work file so MWW formatter grabs the synopsis • Run MWW formatter • Edit the Overview Headline and add the segment text as needed • Call to action statements should need little if any editing • Do Not edit or delete the CAP Tags. If CTA is edited…make sure CAP Tags are on their own line Marine Weather Warning

21. MWW Web Page: http://www.weather.gov/os/mww Marine Weather Warning

22. The End Questions or Comments? Marine Weather Warning