If this means what I think it means...

wsuffa

wsuffa

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
23,615
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DC Suburbs
Display Name
Display name:
Bill S.
I can't say I like these proposed changes a whole lot...
probably affects us little guys more than it affects the 121 types.

--------------------------

NOUS41 KWBC 121434
PNSWSH

TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION NOTICE 06-31
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
1035 AM EDT FRI MAY 12 2006

TO: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ OFFICES
FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/ SUBSCRIBERS
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION /FAA/ OFFICES
OTHER NWS AVIATION CUSTOMERS AND PARTNERS

FROM: KEVIN L. JOHNSTON
CHIEF...AVIATION SERVICES BRANCH

SUBJECT: STANDARDIZATION OF AIRMET TEXT PRODUCTS ISSUED FOR THE
CONUS: EFFECTIVE JULY 25 2006.

NOTE: THE FOLLOWING IMPLEMENTATION WILL HAVE NO IMPACT ON NOAA
WEATHER WIRE SERVICE SUBSCRIBERS.

EFFECTIVE TUESDAY JULY 25 2006 ... BEGINNING AT 1345 COORDINATED
UNIVERSAL TIME /UTC/ ... NWS WILL IMPLEMENT FORMAT CHANGES TO
STANDARDIZE THE AIRMENS METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION /AIRMET/ TEXT
PRODUCTS. THE PRODUCT IS ISSUED BY THE AVIATION WEATHER CENTER
/AWC/ IN KANSAS CITY MISSOURI FOR THE CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES
/CONUS/ AND ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. SEE TABLE 1 BELOW.

THE FOLLOWING AIRMET STANDARDS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED FOR ALL
AIRMETS:

1. THE FREQUENCY OF THE HAZARD OCCURRENCE /OCNL/ AND /FRQ/ WILL
NO LONGER BE INCLUDED.

2. TREND REMARKS WILL NO LONGER BE INCLUDED.

3. THE 6 TO 12-HOUR FORECAST OUTLOOK AREAS WILL BE DELINEATED
WITH HIGH ALTITUDE VOR LOCATIONS PRECEDED WITH THE /BOUNDED
BY/ DESCRIPTOR.

4. THE REASON FOR AMENDING ... CORRECTING OR CANCELING AN
AIRMET WILL NO LONGER BE INCLUDED.

5. SIGMET REFERENCE STATEMENTS WILL NOT REFER TO THE SIGMET
HAZARD. STATEMENTS SUCH AS /FOR AREAS OF POSS SEV TURB/ AND
/FOR AREAS OF POSS SEV ICE/ WILL NO LONGER BE INCLUDED.
INSTEAD THE STATEMENT /SEE SIGMET XXXX SERIES/ WILL BE USED.
FOR EXAMPLE ... /SEE SIGMET TANGO SERIES/.

THE FOLLOWING AIRMET STANDARDS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED FOR ALL AIRMET
SIERRA:

1. AIRMET IFR: THE CAUSE OF THE VISIBILITY RESTRICTION WILL BE
LIMITED TO /PCPN/ ... /FU/ ... /HZ/ ... /BR/ ... /FG/ AND /BLSN/.

2. AIRMET MTN OBSCN: THE CAUSE OF THE OBSCURATION WILL BE
LIMITED TO /CLDS/ ... /PCPN/ ... /FU/ ... /HZ/ ... /BR/ AND /FG/.

THE FOLLOWING AIRMET STANDARDS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED FOR ALL AIRMET
TANGO:

1. AIRMET TURB: THE CAUSE OF THE TURBULENCE WILL NO LONGER BE
INCLUDED.

2. AIRMET STG SFC WND: THE CAUSE AND DIRECTION OF THE WIND WILL
NO LONGER BE INCLUDED.

3. LLWS POTENTIAL: WILL INCLUDE A LIST OF AFFECTED STATES.

4. LLWS POTENTIAL: WILL BE DELINEATED USING HIGH ALTITUDE VOR
LOCATIONS PRECEDED BY THE /BOUNDED BY/ DESCRIPTOR.

5. LLWS POTENTIAL: LLWS INFORMATION WILL NOT INCLUDE PHRASES
SUCH AS /BLW 2000 FT/ OR /BLW AGL 020/.

6. LLWS POTENTIAL: THE CAUSE OF THE LLWS WILL NO LONGER BE INCLUDED.

THE FOLLOWING AIRMET STANDARDS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED FOR ALL AIRMET
ZULU:

1. AIRMET ICE: THE ICING TYPES /RIME/ ... /MXD/ AND /CLR/ WILL
NO LONGER BE INCLUDED.

2. AIRMET ICE: THE LOCATION OF ICING WITH RESPECT TO CLOUDS AND
PRECIPITATION /ICGICIP/ ... /ICGIC/ AND /ICGIP/ WILL NO
LONGER BE INCLUDED. INSTEAD THE TERM /ICE/ WILL BE USED.

3. THE FREEZING LEVEL WILL BE DEFINED AS THE LOWEST FREEZING
LEVEL ABOVE GROUND LEVEL OR /SFC/ AS APPROPRIATE.

4. FREEZING LEVELS WILL BE DELINEATED USING HIGH ALTITUDE VOR
LOCATIONS AT INTERVALS OF 4000 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL OR
/SFC/ AS APPROPRIATE. FREEZING LEVEL DESCRIPTIONS WILL NOT
INCLUDE STATES ... PORTIONS OF STATES OR GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS.

5. AREAS WITH MULTIPLE FREEZING LEVELS ABOVE THE GROUND WILL BE
DELINEATED USING HIGH ALTITUDE VOR LOCATIONS PRECEDED WITH
THE /BOUNDED BY/ DESCRIPTOR.

6. THE RANGE OF FREEZING LEVELS OVER THE AREA WILL BE INCLUDED.

TABLE 1: PRODUCTS AFFECTED BY THIS CHANGE

WMO HEADER AWIPS ID DESCRIPTION PORTION OF CONUS
----------------------------------------------------------
WAUS41 KKCI MKCWA1S AIRMET SIERRA NORTHEASTERN
WAUS41 KKCI MKCWA1T AIRMET TANGO NORTHEASTERN
WAUS41 KKCI MKCWA1Z AIRMET ZULU NORTHEASTERN
----------------------------------------------------------
WAUS42 KKCI MKCWA2S AIRMET SIERRA SOUTHEASTERN
WAUS42 KKCI MKCWA2T AIRMET TANGO SOUTHEASTERN
WAUS42 KKCI MKCWA2Z AIRMET ZULU SOUTHEASTERN
----------------------------------------------------------
WAUS43 KKCI MKCWA3S AIRMET SIERRA NORTH CENTRAL
WAUS43 KKCI MKCWA3T AIRMET TANGO NORTH CENTRAL
WAUS43 KKCI MKCWA3Z AIRMET ZULU NORTH CENTRAL
----------------------------------------------------------
WAUS44 KKCI MKCWA4S AIRMET SIERRA SOUTH CENTRAL
WAUS44 KKCI MKCWA4T AIRMET TANGO SOUTH CENTRAL
WAUS44 KKCI MKCWA4Z AIRMET ZULU SOUTH CENTRAL
----------------------------------------------------------
WAUS45 KKCI MKCWA5S AIRMET SIERRA ROCKY MOUNTAIN
WAUS45 KKCI MKCWA5T AIRMET TANGO ROCKY MOUNTAIN
WAUS45 KKCI MKCWA5Z AIRMET ZULU ROCKY MOUNTAIN
----------------------------------------------------------
WAUS46 KKCI MKCWA6S AIRMET SIERRA PACIFIC COAST
WAUS46 KKCI MKCWA6T AIRMET TANGO PACIFIC COAST
WAUS46 KKCI MKCWA6Z AIRMET ZULU PACIFIC COAST


A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THESE CHANGES WITH EXAMPLES MAY BE
FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:

HTTP://AVIATIONWEATHER.GOV/NOTICE/AIRMET/


IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING THESE CHANGES CONTACT:

CLINTON WALLACE
CHIEF AVIATION SUPPORT BRANCH
AVIATION WEATHER CENTER
KANSAS CITY MISSOURI 64153
PHONE: 816-584-7248
E-MAIL: CLINTON.WALLACE@NOAA.GOV

THIS AND OTHER NWS TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION NOTICES ARE AVAILABLE
ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:

HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM

$$
NNNN
 
I agree Bill, those extra comments helped understand the forecasts and warnings. Maybe they are meaningless but they help build the picture for me.
 
Ugh. The descriptions is what helped the go/no-go decision. I will be calling.
 
N2212R said:
Ugh. The descriptions is what helped the go/no-go decision. I will be calling.
Click to expand...

I agree, I always considered those remarks carefully when studying trends. Did the forecast go from "moderate turbulence" to "occasional moderate turbulence" or vice-versa.

This is really a bad move. We spend lots of dough to better understand the weather, then the NWS decides this information isn't important anymore. The way I see this, it will make the forecasts even more conservative (e.g. "VFR flight not recommended" gov't CYA), so that overtime it will cause pilots to take more risks based on less information.

Jeff
 
I don't see the reason for these changes. The forcaster is going to have to be on duty anyway, so why not include the extra, and important, information?

Another step toward shutting down the little guys IMHO.
 
NC Pilot said:
I don't see the reason for these changes. The forcaster is going to have to be on duty anyway, so why not include the extra, and important, information?

Another step toward shutting down the little guys IMHO.
Click to expand...

Exactly looks like they want to get out of the business of WX reporting. Probably to contract that service out.
 
Sounds like we'll soon be getting a graphic like on the TV weather ... a smiley-face sun over one corner of the country, a frowney-face raincloud over another, Mister Snowflake in the north and Willard Scott in the middle saying happy 106th birthday to Maudie Shmertz of Kenosha, Wisconsin.

I think this behooves us to learn to root around as many sources of weather data as possible, and to learn how to interpret the raw data as best we can. In addition to DUATS or the live briefing, search through ADDS, and the narrative forecast discussions from local NWS sites. Air Sports Net has a nice graphical interpretation of forecast models as well (free).

The imminent dumbing-down of AIRMET information will make timely pilot reports all the more important.

-- Pilawt
 
smigaldi said:
Can anyone get that website to work that is mentioned in the first post? I keep getting server unavailable error
Click to expand...

I've been unable to get to ADDS all morning....
 
smigaldi said:
Exactly looks like they want to get out of the business of WX reporting. Probably to contract that service out.
Click to expand...

Bingo! Does anyone remember Sen. Santorum's attempt to prevent the NWS from publishing information that you can get from a pay service. We all wrote letters about it last year?
 
Letter written.

Mr. Wallace:

I am writing to voice my concern over eliminating descriptors in the airmets starting in July. As a General Aviation pilot and aircraft owner the descriptions provided by the NWS are more valuable than you may imagine. Thousands of GA pilots do not have private contracts with 3rd party weather services like the airlines and fractional corporations do. Us same pilot are not equipped with onboard weather, or a staff of private meteorologists to help paint a complete picture of the weather for us. The descriptions that have been provided are ESSENTIAL to our, and our passengers safety. The descriptions give us a more thorough picture of the weather, and help us to know what to expect - and whether or not to go.

ELIMINATING "moving east," "caused by strong surface winds," "occasional," "rime," and other VITAL INFORMATION WILL COMPROMISE SAFETY in general aviation. General Aviation pilots need the additional information that is currently provided because it helps us provide a better picture of what is going on. We need to know the WHY as much as the what. There is a major difference between rime and clear ice. There is a major difference between turbulence associated with the jet stream, and low level surface winds. We need to know the freezing levels, and levels at which to expect icing. We need to know these things to protect us, and those around us. If I may be a little melodramatic and over the top in comparison, what you are proposing is nearly the equivalent of forecasting cloudy as opposed to forecasting thunderstorms. "Cloudy" tells us nothing, "thunderstorms" does. As I said before, we need to know the why behind the what. I simply ask that you reconsider the elimination of these descriptors, because they are as important as, if not more so than, the general forecast itself.

Thank you for your time,

Edward Frederick​
Click to expand...
 
I wrote both my congress-persons & representives. <sarcasm> Surprisingly, I got form letters from all. </sarcasm>
 
sarcasm?

All I got from my ADIZ comments were form letters, which recapitulated the ADIZ basics, with a "blah, blah, blah, I steadfastly stand in full support of the defense of the homeland, blah, blah, blah and I last beat my wife in 1974 which was well past the statute of limitations blah, blah, blah."

That JA (rhymes with "smack bass") Santorum's formemail was the least supportive of the bunch, more or less stating that the he wouldn't do anything to vote against the ADIZ, because. Because why? Just because. National defense. If you ask questions, I'll sic the NSA on you. This is the same guy who said that raped women emit a fluid that counteracts the sperm of the rapist, therefore, you can't get pregnant from a rapist. Can't say I'm proud to live in PA.

Greatest political minds of the 19th century, as my Latin teacher once said...
 
flyersfan31 said:
This is the same guy who said that raped women emit a fluid that counteracts the sperm of the rapist, therefore, you can't get pregnant from a rapist. Can't say I'm proud to live in PA.
Click to expand...

uhhh..
 
flyersfan31 said:
snip. This is the same guy who said that raped women emit a fluid that counteracts the sperm of the rapist, therefore, you can't get pregnant from a rapist. snip.
Click to expand...

I'd love to see a link to that statement from his own mouth. Frankly, I'm having a hard time believing he said that without seeing some proof.
 
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