{"Bibliographic":{"Title":"National severe local storms operations plan","Authors":"","Publication date":"1976","Publisher":""},"Administrative":{"Date created":"08-16-2023","Language":"English","Rights":"CC 0","Size":"0000067913"},"Pages":["xL\n940.6\n- U6\nPARTMENT OF COMMERCE / National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration\nN28\n1976\nOF\nCOMMUNITY\nFEDERAL COORDINATOR FOR\nMETEOROLOGICAL SERVICES\n*\nwith\nANGELES\nAND SUPPORTING RESEARCH\nSTATES\nOF\nNational Severe Local Storms\nOperations Plan\nFCM 76-2\nWashington, D.C.\nApril 1976","A\nGC\n940.6\nUG85\nN28\nU.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE\nNATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION\n1976\nFEDERAL COORDINATOR FOR METEOROLOGICAL\nSERVICES AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH\n/United States. Office of Federal Coordinator\nfor Meteorological Services and\nSupporting Research\nNATIONAL SEVERE LOCAL STORMS OPERATIONS PLAN\n11\nATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES\nLIBRARY\nAUG 4 1976\nU.S. Dept of Commerce\nSupersedes National Severe Local Storms\nOperations Plan - 1975\nWashington, D.C.\nApril 1976\nFCM 76-2","CHANGE LOG\nChange\nDate posted\nSignature\nPage numbers\nno.\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\nii","PREFACE\nThis is the ninth of an annual series of National Severe Local Storms\nOperations Plans that was developed after a 1967 request by the Federal\nCoordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research. This\nplan outlines the responsibilities of the various United States agencies\nwhich provide meteorological services in observing and forecasting severe\nlocal storms.\nInterdepartmental Severe Local Storms Conferences, of which there have\nbeen five, bring together cognizant Federal agencies to resolve problems\nof mutual concern related to the National Severe Local Storms Warning\nService. Such conferences will be held every two years, if items warrant.\nNational Weather Service Severe Local Storms Conferences are held on as\nrequired basis.\nThis plan supersedes the 1975 version and reflects the recommendations of\nthe 1975 National Weather Service Severe Local Storms Conference and the\nSC/BMS Working Group on Severe Local Storms.\nAdditional information describing the warning programs of the participating\nagencies can be found in Air Weather Service Manual 105-8, Weather Warnings\nand Specialized Forecasts; Weather Service Operational Manual Chapter C-40,\nSevere Local Storm Warnings; and Operations of the National Weather Service.\nEdward S. Epstein\nFederal Coordinator for Meteorological\nServices and Supporting Research\niii","NATIONAL SEVERE LOCAL STORMS\nOPERATIONS PLAN\nCONTENTS\nPage\nChapter 1. Responsibilities of cooperating agencies\n1\n7\nChapter 2. Definitions\n9\nChapter 3. Forecasts and warnings\nChapter 4. Communications\n19\n26\nChapter 5. Observations\nChapter 6. Publicity\n36\nAppendix 1. Aerospace Defense Command (ADC) Weather Stations and\nAreas of Responsibility, and ADC Air Divisions and\nRadar Locations\n37\niv","LIST OF FIGURES\nPage\nFigure 3-1--Example of description portion of a Military\nWeather Advisory\n14\nFigure 3-2--Example of graphic portion of Military Weather\n15\nAdvisory\nFigure 4-1--Defense Civil Preparedness Agency National\n20\nWarning System\nFigure 4-2--Distribution of Combined Severe Weather Watch\nand Warning Bulletins\n22\nFigure 4-3--Distribution of Aviation Severe Weather Watch\nBulletins--AIRMET and SIGMET\n23\nFigure 4-4--COMET Collecting and Disseminating System\n25\nFigure 5-1--GOES Operational Data Flow\n35\nV","CHAPTER 1\nRESPONSIBILITIES OF COOPERATING AGENCIES\n1. National Weather Service (NWS). It shall provide:\na. Basic surface, upper air, and radar observations from its network\nof stations making such observations.\nb. Additional observations, when required. These observations will\nbe transmitted to any requesting agency on the appropriate teletypewriter\ncommunication circuits.\nC. Basic analyses and forecast charts through the National Meteorological\nCenter (NMC), Suitland, Md.\nd. Severe Weather Watch Bulletins and radar facsimile charts through\nthe Severe Local Storms (SELS) Unit and the Radar Analysis and Development\nUnit (RADU) of the National Severe Storms Forecast Center (NSSFC) at\nKansas City, Mo.\ne. Statements and warnings issued by Weather Service Forecast Offices\n(WSFOs) and Weather Service Offices (WSOs) throughout the United States.\nf. Aviation Inflight Weather Advisories through WSFOs with aviation\nresponsibilities for periods up to 4 hours for aircraft (civilian and\nmilitary) and amendments to appropriate aviation forecasts whenever severe\nlocal storm(s) are possible or are in existence.\ng. A concerted effort to collect and relay Pilot Reports (PIREPS)\n.\nh. Appropriate public educational materials concerning the severe\nlocal storms warning service and development of community preparedness\nplans in accordance with the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency (DCPA) /\nNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Agreement on\nCommunity Disaster Preparedness.\n2. The National Environmental Satellite Service (NESS). It shall:\na. Operate satellite systems capable of providing coverage of selected\nportions of the United States and adjoining coastal areas during the\nsevere storms season.\nb. Receive and respond to requirements for coverage of specific areas\nand times from the NSSFC.\n1","CHAPTER 1\nC. Provide appropriate satellite data to authorized research facilities\neither directly or through the Environmental Data Service (EDS).\nd. Be available for conferences with personnel of NSSFC and other WSFOs,\nprimarily through its Satellite Field Service Stations (SFSSs), either in\nperson or by telephone.\ne. Coordinate with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration\n(NASA) on providing data from its R&D satellites to NOAA operational\nunits for their use on an as required basis.\n3. U.S. Air Force (USAF) The Air Weather Service is responsible for\nweather warning support to USAF and U.S. Army units throughout the world.\nIt shall provide:\na. Basic surface, upper air, and radar observations from its network\nof stations making such observations.\nb. Additional observations, when required, making all such reports\navailable to any requesting agency on the appropriate teletypewriter\ncommunication circuits.\nC. A concerted effort to collect and relay PIREPS.\nd. Through the Air Force Global Weather Central (AFGWC), Offutt Air\nForce Base, Nebr.:\n(1) Weather warning support in the conterminous United States and\n200 miles offshore to:\n(a) U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, and selected U.S. Navy installations.\n(b) Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Units.\n(c) Plant sites and facilities operated under Department\nof Defense (DOD) contracts.\n(d) Airborne military aircraft when under military control.\n(2) Via the USAF communications system:\n(a) Military Weather Advisories for general areas in graphic\nform, eight times daily valid at 0300Z plus every three hours.\n(b) Point Warnings in plain language, as required, whenever\nweather is expected to meet warning criteria. These Point Warnings are\nissued to about 500 locations in the conterminous United States.\n(c) Summaries of severe convective weather occurrences.\n2","CHAPTER 1\n(d) Further weather outlooks in plain language, twice daily,\nfor the 12-hour period beyond the 0900Z and 1500Z advisories.\n(e) A continuous meteorological watch on the possibilities of\nsevere weather developments and of other weather phenomena for which AFGWC\nhas warning responsibility.\n4. The U.S. Navy.\nThe Navy does not operate a centralized Severe Local Storms Warning Service.\nRequirements for early warnings of hazardous flying conditions and local\ndestructive phenomena are met by NSSFC/AFGWC products interpreted locally\nby Naval Weather Service Command personnel. Full use is made of information\nreceived on the National Facsimile Network (NAFAX), military, and civil\nweather circuits.\n5. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It shall provide:\na. Communication services in support of the Severe Local Storms\nOperations Program (Service A and Service C).\nb. The PIREPS for use in Severe Local Storms Operations Program.\nC. The Flight Service Station (FSS) and tower surface observations.\nd. Distribution of Airmen's Meteorological Information (AIRMETS) and\nSignificant Meteorological Information (SIGMETS) by FSS.\n6. Exchange of Data Between Agencies.\na. There shall be a mutual exchange of relevant data on the part of all\nconcerned agencies outlined in chapter 1. Because NSSFC and AFGWC are the\nunits responsible for preparing severe weather forecasts, data concerning\nsuch forecasts will be exchanged between these units. Direct telephone\ncommunications between AFGWC and NSSFC may be made over the Federal Tele-\ncommunications Service (FTS) and Automatic Voice Network (AUTOVON) through\nthe operators at Richards-Gebaur AFB, Mo.\nb. The coordination channel for exchange of data between NSSFC and\nAFGWC shall be between the Commander, AFGWC, and the Director, NSSFC.\nUnresolved differences will be referred to the Public Services Branch,\nMeteorological Services Division, National Weather Service Headquarters,\nand to the Headquarters, Air Weather Service.\nC. At the present time, only the National Weather Service, National\nEnvironmental Satellite Service, Environmental Research Laboratories'\nNational Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL), and the Air Weather Service are\nactively engaged in developing objective severe weather forecasting tech-\nniques. These organizations will engage, whenever possible, in a joint\ntechnique development program and will exchange any objective techniques\ndeveloped.\n3","CHAPTER 1\n7. Requests for Special Observations.\nAny special rawinsonde or pilot balloon (PIBAL) observations needed during\nthe continuous weather monitoring underway at NSSFC and at AFGWC are\nauthorized and will be requested when needed.\nWhen special upper air network soundings are required, they should normally\nbe made at 1800Z. The Director, NSSFC, will initiate the request to the\nNational Weather Service and National Aeronautics and Space Administration\n(NASA) stations, and the Commander, AFGWC, will similarly request soundings\nfrom DOD stations. Although other WSFOs have the authority to request\nspecial upper air observations during periods of potentially severe storms\nof all types, requests for special soundings during periods of potentially\nsevere local storms should be made by SELS. Any cost involved in these\nspecial soundings will be borne by the agency making the sounding.\nAir Weather Service requests for National Weather Service or NASA soundings\nshould be made to the duty forecaster at NSSFC. National Weather Service\nrequests for USAF soundings should be made to the AFGWC duty officer\n(FTS 221-3612 or 294-2586).\n8. Backup Plan for SELS.\nIn the event that NSSFC (SELS) should be incapacitated or otherwise unable\nto discharge its severe weather forecasting functions, the AFGWC will provide\nbackup for SELS. In the event of a power outage or other major disruption\nof operations, the SELS forecaster will make telephone contact with the\ndesignated AFGWC focal point and request backup. The SELS forecaster will\nalso provide AFGWC with an estimate of the duration of the outage as well as\nsubsequent updated information when available. The number of the last valid\nwatch will also be provided.\nUpon notification from SELS that the Backup Plan is to be implemented, AFGWC\nwill prepare and transmit watches, outlooks and other advices regarding\nsevere local storm activity as prescribed in Weather Service Operations\nManual (WSOM) Chapter C-40. In addition, AFGWC will, as soon as practical,\nprepare and transmit NSSFC graphic NAFAX products (radar summary charts and the\nsevere weather outlook graphic). The AFGWC will initiate a suitably worded\nmessage for RAWARC and Service A indicating that emergency backup procedures\nare in effect and that subsequent severe weather watches, etc., will be\nissued by AFGWC as required.\nPart A of all AFGWC backup watches will begin as follows: \"The USAF Air\nWeather Service acting in a backup capacity for the National Weather Service\netc. Prior to issuance or cancellation of a\nhas issued a\nwatch, AFGWC will coordinate by telephone with the affected WSFOs if time\npermits. AFGWC will transmit backup material on RAWARC and Service A\n(via the Air Force Automatic Digital Weather Switch) and on NAFAX directly.\nWhen SELS resumes normal operation, a message to this effect will be placed\non RAWARC and Service A by SELS.\n4","CHAPTER 1\n9. Notification of Military Installations.\nThe NWS will notify selected military installations when severe convective\nweather is expected to affect such sites and the installation's AWS detach-\nment is not manned by a forecaster or the station's radar is inoperative.\nThe notification will be performed by selected NWS offices using radar\nand/or other information available. Notifications will be according to\n\"alerting agreements\" between the AWS/NWS offices concerned. Such written\nagreements are initiated by the AWS units.\nThe service to be provided is a wakeup/alerting service to cover severe\nconvective weather occurrences with short lead times, i.e., those develop-\nments that the AWS' normal alerting system may miss. No other service\nwill normally be required. As appropriate, radar data may be exchanged.\nSevere convective weather is defined as thunderstorms with winds 50 knots\nor more, hail 3/4-inch in diameter or larger, and/or tornadoes.\nNotification will be made to only one telephone number. Only one call will\nbe made; however, if the line is busy, one additional call will be made.\nThe notification will be made after the mass news media and civil defense\nauthorities have been notified according to NWS' present warning dissemina-\ntion procedures and priorities. The agreement will specify the hours during\nwhich the alerting service is to be provided.\n9.1 Military/NWS Locations Involved.\nAgreements for providing the alerting service have been signed between the\nfollowing locations. Changes may be made to this list at any time.\nMilitary Location\nNWS Office\nBergstrom AFB\nWSO Austin, TX\nBuckley AFB\nWSFO Denver, CO\nCannon AFB\nWSO Amarillo, TX\nCarswell AFB\nWSFO Fort Worth, TX\nColumbus AFB\nWSFO Jackson, MS\nCraig AFB\nWSO Montgomery, AL\nDyess AFB\nWSO Abilene, TX\nEdwards AFB\nWSO Palmdale, CA\nEglin AFB\nWSO Pensacola, FL\nFt. Campbell\nWSO Nashville, TN\nFt. Carson\nWSO Colorado Springs, CO\nFt. Hood\nWSO Waco, TX\nFt. Knox\nWSO Louisville, KY\nFt. Leonard Wood\nWSO Springfield, MO\nFt. Riley\nWSFO Topeka, KS\nFt. Stewart\nWSO Savannah, GA\nGeorge AFB\nWSO Palmdale, CA\nHolloman AFB\nWSO El Paso, TX\nHomestead AFB\nNHC Miami, FL\n5","CHAPTER 1\nMilitary Location (Cont'd)\nNWS Office (Cont'd)\nKeesler AFB\nWSO Mobile, AL\nWSFO San Antonio, TX\nKelly AFB\nWSFO Albuquerque, NM\nKirtland AFB\nLaughlin AFB\nWSO Del Rio, TX\nWSFO Little Rock, AR\nLittle Rock AFB\nWSO Montgomery, AL\nMaxwell AFB\nWSO Sacramento, CA\nMcClellan AFB\nMcConnell AFB\nWSO Wichita, KS\nWSO Atlantic City, NJ\nMcGuire AFB\nWSO Macon, GA\nMoody AFB\nWSO Las Vegas, NV\nNellis AFB\nWSO Concord, NH\nPease AFB\nPeterson Field\nWSO Colorado Springs, CO\nWSFO San Antonio, TX\nRandolph AFB\nWSFO Lubbock, TX\nReese AFB\nNSSFC Kansas City, MO\nRichards-Gebaur AFB\nWSO Macon, GA\nRobins AFB\nWSFO St. Louis, MO\nScott AFB\nWSFO Detroit, MI\nSelfridge AFB\nWSO Wichita Falls, TX\nSheppard AFB\nWSFO Oklahoma City, OK\nTinker AFB\nWSO Pensacola, FL\nTyndall AFB\nWSFO Oklahoma City, OK\nVance AFB\nWebb AFB\nWSO Midland, TX\nWhiteman AFB\nNSSFC Kansas City, MO\n6","CHAPTER 2\nDEFINITIONS\nThis chapter defines those common meteorological terms, subject to multiple\ninterpretations, which are used by agencies preparing severe local storms\nforecasts and warnings.\n1. Funnel Cloud. A violent, rotating column of air which does not touch\nthe ground and is usually pendant from a cumulonimbus cloud.\n2. Severe Local Storms. Dangerous storms that usually cover relatively\nsmall geographical areas and periods of time and are of sufficient intensity\nto threaten life and property. For the purpose of this plan, a severe local\nstorm is a tornado, funnel cloud, waterspout or a thunderstorm with winds\nof 50 knots or greater and/or hail 3/4-inch in diameter or greater at the\nsurface. Wind damage may be used to infer the occurrence/existence of a\nsevere local storm.\n3. Severe Local Storms Season. Although the center of maximum frequency\nshifts during the year, tornadoes and severe thunderstorms may occur\nanywhere in the United States at anytime during the year. The months of\ngreatest total frequency are April, May, and June.\n4. Squall Line. A line of active thunderstorms or squalls which may\nextend over several hundred miles. It is the phenomenon of the mature or\nactive stage of \"instability-line\" development and may be either a solid\nor broken line of thunderstorms.\n5. Density of Severe Thunderstorms: The following adjectives describe\nthe possible density of severe thunderstorms in a severe weather watch or\noutlook area.\na. Isolated--an extremely small number are expected.\nb. Few--up to 15 percent coverage.\nC. Scattered--16 to 45 percent coverage.\nd. Numerous--more than 45 percent coverage.\ne. MIC (Maximum Instantaneous Coverage)--the percentage of the area\nthat will be covered by cumulonimbus cells at the time of maximum activity.\n(Military Weather Advisories only.)\nf. TAA (Total Area Affected)-- the percentage of the area that will\nexperience one or more thunderstorms during the applicable valid period.\n(Military Weather Advisories only.)\nAdjectives such as the above will not be used to indicate the possible\ndensity of tornadoes. The Tornado Watch Bulletin will only state that the\nthreat of tornadoes exists in the designated watch area.\n7","CHAPTER 2\n6. Thunderstorm Intensity Categories. Only the following thunderstorm\nintensity classes will be used in the forecasting and warning functions\nof concerned agencies.\na. Thunderstorm--Wind gusts less than 50 knots and hail, if any,\nof less than 3/4-inch diameter at the surface.\nb. Severe Thunderstorm--Wind gusts of 50 knots or greater or hail\nof diameter 3/4-inch or greater at the surface. Wind damage may be used\nto infer the occurrence/existence of a severe thunderstorm.\n7. Tornado. A violent, rotating column of air which forms a pendant,\nusually from a cumulonimbus cloud, and touches the ground. It nearly\nalways starts as a funnel cloud and is accompanied by a loud roaring\nnoise. On a local scale, it is the most destructive of all atmospheric\nphenomena.\n8. Waterspout. A funnel cloud which forms over a body of water--such as\na bay, lake, or gulf--and touches the water.\n8","CHAPTER 3\nFORECASTS AND WARNINGS\n1. General. Although every effort has been made to standardize terminology,\nadopt common definitions, and adjust criteria to a common base, each agency\nhas differing operational warning criteria that must be met. Although\nstandardization will be used wherever possible in forecasts and warnings,\neach agency retains the right to specify the forecast and warning criteria\nthat are needed to carry out the mission of its service.\n2. Other Warning Criteria. All phenomena (other than those classified as\nsevere storms, Chapter 2, Item 2) described in the various warnings, bul-\nletins, and advisories should be categorized as \"other warning criteria\"\nand are not called severe weather phenomena. Such other warning criteria\nwill be listed separately in appropriate National Oceanic and Atmospheric\nAdministration (NOAA)/National Weather Service and U.S. Air Force (USAF) /\nAir Weather Service publications.\n3. National Weather Service Watch/Warning Procedures.\n3.1 General. The National Weather Service has statutory responsibility\nfor providing a Severe Local Storms Warning Service for all 50 states.\nNSSFC does not issue watches for Alaska or Hawaii. Instead the WSFOs\nat Anchorage and Honolulu have the responsibility for maintaining weather\nwatches and issuing warnings as needed for their respective states. Pro-\ncedures described in this plan are followed to the extent 'that they are\napplicable.\nThis Warning Service is available to the general public and to general and\ncommercial aviation and is provided through the National Severe Storms\nForecast Center (NSSFC) at Kansas City, the National Meteorological Center\n(NMC) at Suitland, Weather Service Forecast Offices (WSFOs), and Weather\nService Offices (WSOs).\n3.2 Watch/Warning Criteria. The criteria for aviation and public severe\nweather watch and warning bulletins are the same. Any or all of the\ncategories listed below may be mentioned in such bulletins to indicate\nmore fully the severe weather possible/occurring.\na. Severe Thunderstorm:\n(1) Wind--thunderstorm related surface winds (sustained or gusts)\nof 50 knots or greater;\n(2) Hail--surface hail 3/4-inch or larger. The word hail in\na watch bulletin implies hail at the surface as well as aloft unless\nqualifying phrases such as \"hail aloft\" are used.\n9","CHAPTER 3\nb. Tornado:\n(1) Severe weather watches/warnings that mention tornadoes imply\nthat thunderstorm activity, usually severe, is also expected/occurring.\nSevere weather watches will not refer to funnel clouds.\n3.3 NMC. NMC is the central data processing center for the NWS. NMC\nissues prognostic charts, discussions, and other forecast materials.\n3.4 NSSFC. NSSFC, through its SELS unit, is responsible for issuing and\ncancelling severe local storm watches and for preparing other appropriate\nmaterial essential to the Severe Local Storms Warning Service.\nCombined Public and Aviation Watch Bulletins. Although a warning\na.\nservice is provided for public and aviation interests, separate watches\nare not issued for these interests but are combined into one bulletin.\nEach combined watch bulletin (see example page 11) contains information\nfor the general public (sections A and B) and aviation interests in discrete,\nalphabetical, sequential sections. When a section is not applicable, it\nwill be omitted. The text will begin with the most serious type of severe\nweather expected- Tornado Watch\" or \"Severe Thunderstorm Watch.\" The\nlocation of the area affected and the valid period of the watch which are\ncommon to both public and aviation sections are given in Section A. Com-\nbined watches are numbered serially beginning with number 1 for the first\nissuance of each calendar year. SELS will issue an unnumbered watch\ncancellation message whenever it cancels a watch.\nb. Aviation Tornado Watch (WW). SELS will issue aviation tornado\nwatches only for tropical cyclone related tornadoes, and will number the\nwatch by appending a letter to the last assigned combined watch number\n(ex: 404A, 404B, etc.) ). Statute miles will be used; time will be GMT.\nC. RADU. The Radar Analysis and Development (RADU) of NSSFC prepares\nRadar Summary Charts, 16 of which are transmitted on the National Weather\nFacsimile Network (NAFAX). RADU will use all available radar data except\nin extremely heavy workload situations. In this case the areas of minimum\nsignificance will be omitted and this fact indicated on the Radar Facsimile\nChart. The military service weather radars in the intermountain area are\nacceptable substitutes for S-band radar and can furnish data, routinely and\nas requested, for the Radar Summary Charts. However, the National Weather\nService prefers to use the radar composite prepared by its radar unit at\nthe Salt Lake City, Utah, Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), as the\nwestern portion of these charts to avoid duplication. In addition, more\nradar data are available from the ARTCC radars as the result of their loca-\ntion on mountain peaks, and the method of tracing the data from individual\nradarscopes.\n10","CHAPTER 3\nBULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED\nTORNADO WATCH NUMBER 104\nNATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY MO\n143 PM CDT THU APR 17 1975\nA\nTHE NATIONAL SEVERE STORMS FORECAST CENTER SAYS THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF\nTORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS FOR\nTHE SOUTHEASTERN HALF OF MISSOURI\nNORTHWEST ARKANSAS\nEXTREME NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA\nAND A SMALL PORTION OF SOUTHWESTERN ILLINOIS\nFROM 2 PM CDT UNTIL 8 PM THIS THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.\nTHE WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 70 STATUTE MILES EITHER SIDE OF A LINE FROM ST. LOUIS\nMISSOURI TO 20 STATUTE MILES WEST OF FORT SMITH ARKANSAS.\nREMEMBER\nA TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE\nIN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR\nTHREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.\nB\nTHIS TORNADO WATCH REPLACES TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 101 ISSUED AT 9:45 AM CDT\nWATCH NUMBER 101 WILL NOT BE IN EFFECT AFTER 2 PM CDT.\nC.\nTORNADOES AND NMRS SVR TSTMS WITH HAIL SFC AND ALF TO 2 IN EXTRM TURBC AND\nSFC WIND GUSTS TO 70 KT\nNMRS CBS WITH MAX TOPS TO 600. MEAN WIND VECTOR 23050.\nD.\nINSTBY LN NOW FM NE MO TO NE OK MOVG SE 35 KT. STG MSTR CNVGNC AND PRESS FALLS\nAHD OF LN.\nE. UPDATE AC TO INCL TSTMS IN S FL THIS AFTN.\nGALWAY\nEXAMPLE OF COMBINED SEVERE WEATHER WATCH BULLETIN,\nBULLETIN\nAVIATION TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 290A\n1130Z FRI AUG 17 1972\nA ALG AND 90 STATUTE MILES EITHER SIDE OF A LN FM 90 STATUTE MILES NNE ORL TO\nDHN. THIS INCLS MOST OF NW FL\nAND PTNS SE AL AND S GA\nVALID 171200Z-171800z.\nCONT WW 288A UNTIL EXPIRATION AT 12Z.\nC.\nTORNADOES AND FEW SVR TSTMS\nWITH HAIL ALF TO 1 1/2 IN\nEXTRM TURBC AND SFC\nWND GUSTS EXCEEDING 65 KT\nA FEW CBS WITH MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN WIND VECTOR 20040.\nD.\nTORNADOES AND SVR TSTMS ASSOCD WITH HURCN AGNES.\nMAGOR\nEXAMPLE OF AVIATION SEVERE WEATHER WATCH BULLETIN:\n11","CHAPTER 3\nd. Other SELS Guidance Meterial. SELS also issues Severe Weather\nOutlook Narratives, a Severe Weather Outlook Graphic, Status Reports on\nWeather Watches and Advance Information on forthcoming Watch areas.\n3.5 Weather Service Offices (WSO):\na. That portion, sections A and B, of the combined Severe Weather\nWatch Bulletins of general interest to the public is distributed immediately\nto the public in accordance with the County Responsibility Plan of each WSO\nwhenever a threat to any part of the area of county responsibility is indi-\ncated by the Bulletin. To help the public visualize which areas are affected\nby the watch, the affected areas are restated in terms of counties, geo-\ngraphical areas, or prominent cities in a release called a redefining\nstatement. Publications and distribution of various types of material have\nmade the public aware of the National Weather Service's Severe Local Storms\nWarning Service and its terminology.\nb. Warning responsibility for the general public is vested in local\nWSOs. Severe weather warnings will be issued immediately by the appro-\npriate WSO based on reports of actual or suspected severe weather in or\nnear an Office's area of responsibility. Each warning will be identified\nas either a Severe Thunderstorm Warning or Tornado Warning. Full advantage\nis taken of radar observations in issuing these warnings. When radar\nevidence is sufficient in the judgment of the responsible official to\nidentify a dangerous storm, warnings based on these data will be issued\nimmediately.\nC. Severe or special weather statements are issued, to provide infor-\nmation about convective weather situations.\n3.6 Weather Service Forecast Offices (WSFO). WSFOs with aviation responsi-\nbilities (FA Centers) put severe weather information contained in watch\nbulletins into Significant Meteorological Information (SIGMETS) and Airmen's\nMeteorological Information (AIRMETS). Potentially hazardous flight con-\nditions specified in WWs which are adequately covered in an aviation forecast\nare not the subject of an AIRMET. FA Centers advise Air Route Traffic\nControl Centers (ARTCC) of any SIGMETS they issue which affect the respective\nARTCC areas. Appropriate reference is also made to possible severe weather\nin scheduled and amended public and aviation forecasts, Pilots Automatic\nTelephone Weather Answering Service (PATWAS), and Transcribed Weather\nBroadcast (TWEB) scripts.\nCriteria for the issuance of SIGMETS associated with severe local storms\ninclude:\n*WSOs in this paragraph refer to both WSOs and WSFOs with county warning\nresponsibility.\n12","CHAPTER 3\na. Tornadoes.\nb. Lines of thunderstorms (squall lines).\nC. Embedded thunderstorms.\nd. Hail of 3/4-inch or greater in diameter.\ne. Severe or extreme turbulence.\nf. Severe icing.\n3.7 Satellite Field Service Stations (SFSSs) . The SFSSs receive and\nanalyze satellite pictures in near real time and assist NSSFC and WSFOs in\napplying these data to their severe storm forecasting and warning programs.\n4. U.S. Air Force (USAF) Warning Procedures\na. General. The Air Force Global Weather Central (AFGWC) provides, by\nmeans of USAF communications system, warnings for:\n(1) Tornadoes.\n(2) Thunderstorms.\n(3) Strong surface winds of 35 knots or more that are not associated\nwith thunderstorms.\n(4) Heavy rain or snow (2 inches or more in a 12-hour period).\n(5) Freezing precipitation.\nThe criteria for severe thunderstorm warnings are the same as those of the\nNWS.\nb. Military Weather Advisories. AFGWC issues Military Weather\nAdvisories in graphic Teletypewriter format (see figures 3-1 and 3-2)\neight times daily, valid 0300Z plus every three hours. Advisories with a\nvalid time of 0300Z plus every six hours cover a 12-hour period while those\nwith a valid time 0600Z plus every six hours cover a nine hour period.\nEach advisory gives the area where any of the weather elements listed in\nTable 3-1 are expected to occur during the valid period.\n13","ORATES\n3\nEXAMPLE OF DESCRIPTION PORTION OF A MILITARY\nbo-0979\n<380\n2/20\n2/20\nORANGE\nORANGE\nR400\nE.P.\nWEATHER ADVISORY.\nA\nT\nPORTIONS OF\nGREEN 21-032\nORANGE\nR350\nSQUALL\nLN DVLG\n03-09Z\nX\nENEWRD\n1/10\nR450 4/40\nAREA 21Z\nFigure 3-1.\nMVG\n30KNOTS\nWRN\n300 1/10\nZ\n21-03Z\nORANGE\nBLACK\n21-01Z\nG35K\nS\nBLACK 21-037 G40K\nORANGE R400 3/20\nBLUE HVV of 03-09Z\nR\n03Z G40K\nR480 15/70 LCLLY\nBLACK R 500 4/40\nHvy 703-097\n15/70\nRED 21 03\nG40K\nOZZ\nBLUE 21-037\nBLACK\nX\nB\n21\nREFER\n21\nD/T 06 / 1800 Z\nFOR 06 /2100 Z\nTO 07 10900 Z\nMIL WEA ADVY NR O6D\nAIR WEATHER SERVICE\nwwxx KGWC\nUS AIR FORCE\nDTG: 06/1918Z","CHAPTER 3\n19\n09\n6\nE\nL\n9\nS\n17\nE\n2\nI\n0\nTO\n6t\n8\nL\n9\nSt,\n17\nS\n21\nIN\nOf\nIIIIIII\n69\n82\n1\nL9\n99\nSS\nSSSSSSSSSSSSSS$SSSSXXXXY\nXXX0000000000ZZZZZZZZZZZ22\n82\nSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS\nXXXXXXX0000000000ZZZZZZZK\nL\nSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS\nP900000000000ZZZZZZZ\n9\nSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS\nS\nSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS\n88888883000ZZZZZ\n17\n899888989898\nSSSSS\nE\n8998899988889\n22\n98883988883989\n88889898988899\n02\n61\n81\nLI\n9888888888888\n91\n8888888888889\nST\n988898889888\n171\nEl\n98898\n21\n11\n01\n15","CHAPTER 3\n0 032010Z\nWWXX WWXX WWXX 3 KGWC 032010Z\nTX 18-19\nTHUNDERSTORMS WITH 1 1/2 INCH HAIL AND SW GUSTS TO 65 KNOTS VALID\n032200Z to 0402002 TORNADO VALID 032200Z TO 040100Z 1/26/12/3//\nOK 7-8\nTHUNDERSTORMS WITH NO HAIL AND SW GUSTS TO LESS THAN 35 KNOTS\nEXPECTED BETWEEN 0319002 and 0403002.\nEXAMPLE OF MILITARY POINT WARNING,\nColor\nWeather element (s)\nRED\nTornado\nBLUE\nSevere Thunderstorm\nGREEN\nModerate Thunderstorm\nwinds between 35 and 49 knots inclusive, or\nhail greater than or equal to 1/2\" but less than\n3/4\" in diameter\nORANGE\nThunderstorm with winds less than 35 knots and hail less\nthan 1/2\" in diameter\nBLACK\nSurface winds greater than or equal to 35 knots not\nassociated with a thunderstorm\nPURPLE\nHeavy rains greater than or equal to 2\"\nHATCHED\nPURPLE\nHeavy snow\nBROWN\nFreezing precipitation\nTable 3-1.\nMILITARY WEATHER ADVISORY WEATHER ELEMENTS,\n16","CHAPTER 3\n(1) Purpose and Use. The Military Weather Advisories are designed\nto provide basic guidance to both the field forecaster and to the point\nwarning forecasters at AFGWC. These Advisories are issued at fixed times;\npreparation time is limited by data availability and presentation format.\nAdvisories may cover fairly large areas as in the case of thunderstorms,\nsnow, and strong gradient winds, but the areas of more severe weather--such\nas tornadoes and severe thunderstorms--are usually more limited in time and\nspace. Field forecasters should use Military Weather Advisories:\na. To alert themselves and users to potential areas of\nsignificant weather.\nb. To use as ready-made briefing aids.\nTo indicate the probability of their stations being\nC.\ndirectly affected during the advisory period.\n(2) Amendment. Advisories are amended whenever the elements\ndescribe change, or are expected to change, by one category or more and when-\never area boundaries change, or are expected to change, by 60 miles or more.\n(3) Geographical Interpretation. A clear plastic overlay containing\na scaled outline of the conterminous States, placed on the teletypewriter\nmessage containing the Military Weather Advisory, will provide geographical\norientation.\nC. AFGWC Point Warnings. AFGWC Point Warnings are issued in plain\nlanguage (see example page 16) for the same phenomena as Advisories. While\nAdvisories provide general guidance to all military forecasters in terms of\nlarge- and intermediate-scale synoptic developments, AFGWC Point Warnings\nare issued for and to specific locations in the smallest scale of space and\ntime consistent with the availability of data and the state of the art. An\neffort is made to tailor the size of the points to the requirements of the\nusing agency. The locations for which AFGWC has warning responsibility are\nlisted in Volume II, Air Weather Service Manual 105-2. Some of the locations\ninclude two, three, or four installations in one locality; the total number\nof installations is approximately 500. Approximately 50 percent of these\nlocations are U.S. Air Force, 45 percent are U.S. Army, and 5 percent are\nU.S. Navy. In addition to active military installations, AFGWC Point\nWarnings are issued for National Guard units, arsenals, ammunition plants,\nand other civilian activities under contract to the Department of Defense\n(DOD). AFGWC Point Warnings are issued for specific locations as the\nsituation warrants in contrast to Advisories which are issued at scheduled\nintervals for fixed valid periods. AFGWC Point Warnings are amended, ex-\ntended, or cancelled as necessary. For accuracy, the optimum leadtime is\nthat just long enough to permit necessary protective action. Probabilities of\noccurrences will be appended for green, blue, and red weather elements (given\nas a pure number separated by a solidus and enclosed in double solidi) as well\nas non-convective weather elements (given as a single probability enclosed\nby double solidi).\n17","CHAPTER 3\nAFGWC Point Weather Warnings:\n(1) Provide specific warning to an installation where a forecast\nunit is not assigned.\n(2) Alert a responsible individual at locations with a limited\nforecast service.\n(3) Alert and guide the field forecaster who has final responsibility\nfor warning the agency he supports.\nd. Local AWS Unit Point Warnings. At those locations where an Air\nWeather Service (AWS) forecaster is on duty, the forecaster has final\nresponsibility for warning those agencies being supported. The criteria\nand lead time for such local point warnings are established locally based\non customer needs.\n5. Distribution of Watches, Warnings, and Severe Weather Reports by Flight\nService Stations (FSSs)\nThis Plan does not provide for the distribution of severe weather informa-\ntion by FSSs. However, these Stations occasionally receive requests for\nsuch information or are given a severe weather report by an observer. Such\ninformation or requests will be referred to the WSO having warning responsibility\nfor the county in which the requester or phenomenon is located. Weather Services\nOperations Manual (WSOM) C-47 lists the WSOs and their warning responsibility areas;\nthe FSSs should refer the requester or information to these Offices. The\nFederal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Weather Service will\ndevelop the communication methods for assuring that these requests and\nreports reach the appropriate WSO.\n18","CHAPTER 4\nCOMMUNICATIONS\n1. National Weather Service Systems\na. RAREP (Radar Report) and Warning Coordination (RAWARC). The\nNational Weather Service internal teletypewriter system is a landline\nteletypewriter network consisting of five circuits, which terminates at\nthe National Severe Storms Forecast Center (NSSFC) in Kansas City, the\nnetwork monitoring office. Traffic on RAWARC is basically unscheduled and\nis handled according to a priority system, with severe weather information\nhaving the highest priority. Relays between RAWARC circuits are made by\ncomputer, with severe thunderstorm, tornado and flash flood warnings having\nthe highest priority. Such messages break and supersede all transmissions\nother than similar warning messages. The only regularly scheduled material\nentered on RAWARC is an hourly collection (H+35) of radar reports (SD).\nSpecial radar reports and other material can be transmitted at any time\nthe circuits are not in use.\nb. NOAA Weather Wire Service (NWWS). The NWWS consists of local loops\nserving metropolitan areas, Statewide intrastate circuits, and overlay\ncircuits. The purpose of NWWS is to transmit consumer-oriented forecasts,\nwatches, weather warnings, and meteorological data to the mass news media\nfor broadcast to the public. Various specialized users also obtain drops\non NWWS to meet their requirements.\nEach intrastate circuit has one Weather Service Office (WSO) designated as\nthe State Relay Center (SRC). The SRC is connected to the regional overlay\ninterstate circuit and serves as the State relay point for transmissions\nover this regional circuit to other States through their SRCs. Washington,\nD.C., , is the Overlay Relay Center and is responsible for relaying traffic\nbetween regional overlay circuits.\nOnly WSOs (or certain other authorized offices) have direct entry on these\ncircuits. The Weather Service Forecast Offices (WSFO) furnish broad-scale\ninformation and local WSOs enter local information. Relays between adjacent\ncircuits are established as necessary to meet the requirements of the\nNational Weather Service's Severe Local Storms Warning Service and of sub-\nscribers located along State or area borders. When urgent material such as\na warning is transmitted, a prearranged bell signal is used to attract the\nattention of users to the transmission.\nC. National Warning System (NAWAS). This is the Defense Civil Pre-\nparedness Agency (DCPA)-operated hot line interstate telephone system which\nconnects DCPA Warning Points and WSOs within each State and between States.\nFigure 4-1 gives the location of DCPA warning points.\n19",".\nWarning","CHAPTER 4\nd. Emergency Action Notification Signal (EANS). Although all standard,\nFM and television broadcast stations may, at their discretion, use the EANS\nfor short-fused warnings, only a few use it. Where its use is acceptable,\nEANS should be requested for all tornado warnings. Since EANS use is at\nthe discretion of the individual stations, arrangements for its use are made\nprior to the severe local storm season, unless such use is a continuing\nagreement. In those areas where it is not an acceptable procedure, all\ntornado warnings carry the notation \"Immediate Broadcast Requested.\" EANS\nis not requested for severe thunderstorm warnings.\ne. NOAA Weather Radio. The WSOs/WSFOs equipped with NOAA Weather\nRadio can transmit continuous weather warnings over a frequency\nof 162.55 MHz or 162.40 MHz. These radio transmitters provide con-\ntinuous weather information over an area of about 40-mile radius. Local radio\nand TV stations can copy and rebroadcast the material even though land lines\nin the area may be disrupted. These transmitters have a tone-alert capability\nwhich can be used to activate specially designed muted receivers. This\nsignal is transmitted at 1050 Hertz for 3-5 seconds before announcements\nof hazardous weather conditions.\nf. Miscellaneous. Other types of distribution methods are used, as\nappropriate, to make warnings available to other WSOs/WSFOs and to the public\nas rapidly as possible. In a severe weather situation, the NWWS is given\nfirst priority and others are used as time is available. These other\nmethods include:\n(1) Telephone (including NAWAS).\n(2) Radio and Teleprinter Networks.\n(3) Public Service Teleprinter Networks.\n(4) Press associations and news services.\n(5) Amateur radio.\n(6) State Police and Highway Radio and Teleprinter Networks.\n(7) State Civil Defense Teleprinter Networks.\n(8) Sirens.\ng. Distribution of Severe Weather Watch and Warning Bulletins. The\ncommunication systems used for distributing Public Severe Weather Watch and\nWarning Bulletins are shown in figure 4-2. The communication systems used\nfor distribution of Aviation Severe Weather Watch Bulletins and In-Flight\nWeather Advisories are outlined in figure 4-3.\n21","CHPTER\n4\nSTORM SPOTTERS-STATE AND\nMILITARY SVC A AVAILABLE\nCATIONS SYSTEM (MWTCS)\nTELEPRINTER COMMUNI.\nMODERNIZED WEATHER\nLOCAL POLICE, SCHOOLS,\nSERVICE A SYSTEM\nSTATE & LOCAL NOAA\nHAM OPERATORS\nESS-RADIO-TV\nWEATHER WIRE\nPUBLIC\nDISTRIBUTION OF COMBINED SEVERE WEATHER WATCH AND WARNING BULLETINS,\nAP-UPI\nPHONE SERVICE (LIMITED)\nLOCAL STATEMENTS\nNSSFC (COMMUNICATIONS)\nNSSFC (SELS) WATCH\nRAWARC SYSTEM\nNWS OFFICES\nOR WARNINGS\nFigure 4-2.\nBROADCAST NET\nCIVIL DEFENSE\nNATIONAL PRESS SERVICES\nNAWAS\nDISASTER\nFORECAST CENTERS\nNON-RAWARC\nNWS OFFICES\nFP AREA\nAP-UPI\nRADIO BROADCAST\nPUBLIC\nNWS VHF-FM\nPRESS-RADIO-TV\nPUBLIC","CHPPTF.\n4\nMILITARY SVC A AVAILABLE\nARTCC\nPILOT BRIEFING\nSVC A SYSTEM\nDISTRIBUTION OF AVIATION SEVERE WEATHER WATCH BULLETINS - AIRMET AND SIGMET.\nFAA\nFSS\nBROADCAST\nFAA\nNSSFC (COMMUNICATIONS)\nMODERNIZED WEATHER\nCOMMUNICATIONS\nNSSFC (SELS) WATCH\nSYSTEM (MWTCS)\nTELEPRINTER\nPONY LOOP\nFigure 4-3.\nCIVIL AVIATION\nNWS OFFICES\nIN-FLIGHT ADVISORIES\n(AIRMET-SIGMET)\nRAWARC SYSTEM\nPILOT BRIEFING\nWSFO'S\nWSO","CHAPTER 4\n2. U.S. Air Force (USAF) Systems\na. Within the conterminous United States, USAF radar weather observa-\ntions are collected by means of the Continental U.S. Meteorological Data\nSystem (COMEDS). Collected reports are transmitted from the Carswell\nAutomatic Digital Weather Switch (CADWS) to the Air Force Global Weather\nCentral (AFGWC), the FAA Weather Message Switching Center (WMSC), and to\nthe National Meteorological Center (NMC) through computer-to-computer links;\nsevere radar reports are available to NSSFC/Radar Analysis and Development\nUnit (RADU) in the bulletin WOUSI KAWN and the routine radar reports\ntransmitted from WMSC to NSSFC.\nb. The COMEDS is divided into nineteen geographic areas, with a single\ncollecting and disseminating circuit covering each area (fig. 4-4).\nC. The COMEDS is used to disseminate all Military Weather Advisories\nand Point Warnings issued by AFGWC.\n3. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Systems\na. Service A will be used for the collection and distribution of\nsevere local storms information as follows:\n(1) Hourly and Special Airway Observations.\n(2) Airmen's Meteorological Information (AIRMETS) and Significant\nMeteorological Information (SIGMETS).\n(3) Hourly Radar Summaries from National Weather Service radar\nunits at Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC).\n(4) Hourly Radar Reports.\nb. Service A will be used for distribution of Pilot Reports (PIREPS)\nfrom Flight Service Stations (FSSs) to WSFOs with aviation responsibilities.\n4. U.S. Navy\nCOMEDS is used to collect and disseminate U.S. Navy weather reports.\n24","19\n18\n16\n15\n12\n13\nUSAF Figure (COMEDS)\n10\n(KAWN)\nCARSWELL\nCOMEDS\n6\n7\n8\n9\n4\n5\n3\n1\n2","CHAPTER 5\nOBSERVATIONS\n1. Radar Observing and Reporting Plans\na. Radar data, which are routinely used in the support of this Plan\nand in the preparation of National Severe Storms Forecast Center (NSSFC)\nand Air Force Global Weather Central (AFGWC) products, are available from\nradars of the U.S. Basic Weather Radar Network. This Network is composed\nof NWS WSR-57 radars, U.S. Air Force weather radar, and in the Western\nUnited States, air route traffic control radars. The air route traffic\ncontrol radars are remoted into the Air Route Traffic Control Centers\n(ARTCCs) at Salt Lake City, Utah; Palmdale, Calif.; Albuquerque, N. Mex.\nand Auburn, Wash. Local warning radars supplement the WSR-57 radars.\nNational Weather Service personnel at Palmdale, Albuquerque, and Auburn\ndevelop a composite of the radar data from radars remoted into these sites\nand transmit the data on an interagency (Atomic Energy Commission and\nNational Weather Service) facsimile circuit to the National Weather Service\nRadar Unit at the Salt Lake City ARTCC. These data are then collated with\nthe Salt Lake City radar data, and, by means of a data-telephone link, the\nfinal composite is sent to the Radar Analysis and Development Unit (RADU)\nat Kansas City for use in the Radar Summary Chart, and to AFGWC for use in\nmeeting AWS requirements.\n(1)\nNational Weather Service radar observations, other than those\nfrom these four ARTCCs, are transmitted hourly on the Radar Report and\nWarning Coordination (RAWARC) circuits at H + 35 in RAREP (Radar Report)\ncode. More frequent observations are taken and transmitted on RAWARC in\nsevere weather situations. Hourly composites from ARTCCs are transmitted\nto a number of offices in the western intermountain region on the inter-\nagency facsimile circuit. Each ARTCC Radar Unit prepares a narrative\nsummary of its composite and transmits the summary on RAWARC. These sum-\nmaries and selected hourly radar observations are transmitted hourly on\nselected Service A circuits by the Modernized Weather Teleprinter Communica-\ntions System (MWTCS) in Kansas City.\n(2) At H + 35, radar reports in the RAREP code from the Air\nWeather Service (AWS) radar stations assigned to the U.S. Basic Weather\nRadar Network are forwarded to AFGWC from the Carswell Automated Digital\nWeather Switch (CADWS) by means of the data link. The NSSFC receives routine\nmilitary radar weather observations from the CADWS through the FAA Weather\nMessage Switching Center (WMSC). Severe military RAREPs (those describing\ntornadoes, severe thunderstorms, or hail observations and carrying the\nbulletin heading WOUS) are obtained by dual means; (1) a drop on the\nCOMEDS; and (2) through the FAA WMSC.\n(3)\nThe National Weather Service, Air Force, and Navy operate a\nnumber of non-network radar facilities. Used primarily for local fore-\ncasting and warning and for immediate service to local agencies, these radars\n26","CHAPTER 5\nalso provide selected information on severe storms. For example, all USAF\nradar facilities in the conterminous United States, whether or not they are\nassigned Network responsibilities, report radar-detected hailstorms, severe\nthunderstorms, and tornadoes both on COMEDS communications and by tele-\nphone to the nearest Weather Service Office (WSO) of the National Weather\nService, when so requested. Furthermore, all U.S. Air Force storm detection\nradar facilities, whether on the network or not, transmit hourly RAREPS and\nnecessary specials whenever their station is covered by a Military Weather\nAdvisory area or point warning calling for tornadoes or severe thunder-\nstorms, unless they are within 30nm of a network reporting station.\nb. A number of Aerospace Defense Command (ADC) radar sites are capable\nof limited detection and interpretation of weather echoes. Appendix 1 lists\nthe six AWS units supporting the six ADC air divisions (ADs) with a map of\nradar site locations. Operational commitments permitting, these sites can\nprovide limited supplementary data upon request. Contact should be made by\ncalling the appropriate AD weather station. In general, either AFGWC or\nthe supervising forecaster of the Severe Local Storms (SELS) Unit or RADU\nshould attempt to contact a particular site through its associated AD weather\nstation.\nC. Whenever radar data from stations of the U.S. Basic Weather Radar\nNetwork are missing or appear to be in error, the military agencies and the\nNational Weather Service have authorized the following:\n(1) The RADU will telephone the military station and AFGWC will\ntelephone (if necessary) the WSO for the missing data or clarification.\nBecause RADU does not have the capability for obtaining such data through\nthe COMEDS, the telephone must be utilized. In most cases where radar data\nfrom a WSO are missing or in error, RADU will usually obtain corrected data\nfrom that Office by means of RAWARC. Clarification of missing data will\nusually be available to AFGWC through this means. If such data are not\nforthcoming after a reasonable wait, AFGWC should contact the Radar Unit\nat the WSO by telephone.\n(2) The Air Force shall provide NSSFC with telephone numbers of\nstations in the U.S. Basic Weather Radar Network. Telephone numbers of\nlocal warning radar stations will also be provided for use in emergency\nsituations. The National Weather Service shall provide AFGWC with similar\ntelephone numbers for its radar stations.\n(3) If Federal Telecommunications System (FTS) or Department of\nDefense (DOD) telephone lines are not available, commercial telephone shall\nbe used.\nd. If a WSO needs radar data from a nearby military radar (Network, ADC,\nor local use), such data can be obtained by local arrangements between the\nNational Weather Service Meteorologist-in-Charge/Official-in-Charge and the\nAWS Detachment Commanding Officer or the NAVWEASERV Commanding Officer/\n27","CHAPTER 5\nOfficer-in-Charge of the activity operating the radar facility. Authoriza-\ntions for such arrangements have been completed between the National Weather\nService and the military agencies in prior agreements. These data will be\nsupplied on a noninterference basis and should usually be limited to severe\nweather situations.\n2. Rawinsonde-Observing Stations\na. Rawinsonde observations are scheduled twice daily, 0000Z and 1200Z,\nat the 71 stations in the National Weather Service and Military Upper Air\nNetwork. These stations also take special observations whenever required\nand requested by the agency concerned.\nTransponder capability is available at 33 stations to permit more accurate\nmeasurement of upper winds under strong wind conditions. Evaluated data\nfrom the routine soundings are transmitted over the Service C and COMEDS\nteletypewriter systems in the radiosonde code. Data from special soundings\nrequested for potential or existing severe weather situations are trans-\nmitted by means of RAWARC and other appropriate communications circuits to\nNSSFC and AFGWC. Special soundings transmitted on RAWARC will use the\nstandard upper air message heading to assure their relay to AFGWC.\nb. Low-level soundings in support of the Air Pollution Control\nMeteorological Services program are taken at 9 stations. On weekdays all\nof these stations take routine observations to 700 millibars near sunrise,\nwhile only a few take observations around noon. During critical air pollution\nsituations, observations are taken 7 days a week. Data for the sounding\ntaken near sunrise in the eastern half of the United States are transmitted\non the Service C circuit at 1424Z and relayed, as necessary, to NSSFC and\nAFGWC. Data for the other soundings are transmitted on an unscheduled basis.\nThe DOD takes unscheduled observations at a number of schools, at mobile\nlocations, and at research, development, test, and evaluation facilities.\nHowever, because of the irregular scheduling of these observations, the\nmilitary agencies concerned do not deem it advisable to include all of the\nobservations in this Plan. Non-network upper air stations which might be\nsources of data are given in table 5-1.\nDuring the months of April, May, and June when the National Severe Storms\nLaboratory (NSSL) at Norman, Okla., and other agencies are usually engaged\nin an intensive severe local storms data collection program in central\nOklahoma, upper air soundings are taken at a number of locations in support\nof this program. Except for the Army unit at Fort Sill, Okla., these data\nare processed by computer and are not available for real-time use. Data\nfrom Fort Sill are transmitted to NSSFC by means of COMEDS. Such soundings\nare usually terminated at 400 millibars.\n28","CHATE'S\nWILL TAKE\nREQUESTED\nSPECIALS\nNO\nNo\nNo\nNo\nNo\nNo\nCommander, Det. 21,\nCommander, Det. 58,\nCommander, Det. 14,\nCommander, Det. 10,\nCommander, Det. 11,\nCommander, Det. 3,\nAUTOVON 835-7313,\nAUTOVON 639-3200,\nAUTOVON 737-9818\nAUTOVON 691-3651\nAUTOVON 350-4318\nAGENCY CONTACT\nAUTOVON 236-3914\nask for Weather\nask for Weather\nask for Weather\nask for Weather\nask for Weather\n16th Wea. Sq ;\n16th Wea. Sq ;\nTABLE 5-1. Non-Network Upper Air Stations Which Might be Sources of Data\n5th Wea. Sq. ;\n5th Wea. Sq. ;\n5th Wea. Sq. ;\n2nd Wea. Sq.\nFacility\nFacility\nFacility\nFacility\nFacility\nDISTRIBUTION\nCOMEDS\nCOMEDS\nCOMEDS\nCOMEDS\nCOMEDS\nCOMEDS\nTIME OF OBSERVATIONS\nUnscheduled\nUnscheduled\nUnscheduled\nUnscheduled\nUnscheduled\nUnscheduled\nOPERATED BY\nUSAF\nUSAF\nUSAF\nUSAF\nUSAF\nUSAF\nFort Benning,\nEdwards AFB,\nFort Carson,\nSTATION\nFort Bragg,\nFort Hood,\nFort Sill,\nCalif.\nColo.\nOkla.\nTex.\nN.C.\nGa.","CONTES\nupon request.\nunscheduled\nWILL TAKE\nREQUESTED\nNo. Will\nSPECIALS\nor 1200Z\nfurnish\nYes\nNo\nNo\nYes\nNo\nNon-Network Upper Air Stations Which Might be Sources of Data (Cont'd)\nCommander, Det. 10,\nAGENCY CONTACT\n8-873-1750 or 7173\nAUTOVON 8-624-2228\nask for Met. Team\ncial 201-323-2228;\nAUTOVON 258-2537,\nTom Carr, commer-\ncial 805-982-7173\nAUTOVON 872-5323\nor 8508; AUTOVON\nSchools; commer-\nUSA Electronics\nCO, Met. Team,\nSame as above.\n2nd Wea. Sq.\n(Eglin AFB) ;\nFTS 453-3109\nBob Turner,\nSupt. of AG\nCommand;\nor 8508.\nLocal loop to WSO\nHuntsville, Ala.\nDISTRIBUTION\nthen to RAWARC.\nRoutinely on\nCOMEDS\nCOMEDS\nService C\nNone\nNone\nTIME OF OBSERVATIONS\n0000Z and 1800Z\nfrequent sound-\ndependent upon\nMonday-Friday,\nDaily, 1200Z.\nUnscheduled,\nUnscheduled\nUnscheduled\nUnscheduled\nings during\nUnscheduled\noperations\nmissions.\nOPERATED BY\nUSAF\nTABLE 5-1.\nNASA\nUSA\nUSN\nUSN\nUSN\nHuntsville, Ala.\nTraining Center,\nCape San Blas,\nLakehurst, N.J.\nMissile Range,\nMarshall Space\nFlight Center,\nIsland, Calif.\nCenter, Point\nMissile Test\nNavy Pacific\nSTATION\nNavy Pacific\nMissile Test\nWhite Sands\nMugu, Calif.\nSan Nicolas\nNaval Air\nTechnical\nN. Mex.\nCenter,\nFla.","CHAPTER 5\n3. Surface Weather Observational Network. To provide the basic weather\ndata needed for the analyses performed by the National Meteorological Center\n(NMC), NSSFC, and AFGWC, all available surface data are used. The following\nstations provide data:\na. The WSOs/WSFOs and Automatic Meteorological Observing Stations (AMOS).\nb. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) weather-reporting stations--\nFlight Service Stations (FSS) and Towers.\nC. Supplementary Aviation Weather Reporting Stations (SAWRS), including\npart-time paid, cooperative aviation and synoptic weather-reporting stations,\nand the U.S. Coast Guard facilities.\nd. The DOD weather-reporting stations.\nThese stations take observations and transmit coded observational data at\nregularly scheduled intervals. Transmissions are made hourly and even more\nfrequently for aviation purposes, every 3 and 6 hours for synoptic map\npreparation, and daily for climatological purposes.\n4. The FAA Aircraft Pilot Reports (PIREPS).\na. The present FAA Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) regulation (91.125,\nradio communications, section b. ) requires pilots to report \"(b) Any un-\nforecast weather conditions encountered; and\nb. The ARTCCs are requested to pass PIREPS to FSSs which are required\nto place them on the Service A teletypewriter circuit for distribution.\nC. The following significant information should be included in PIREPS\nwhenever it is observed/encountered:\n(1) Moderate or greater turbulence.\n(2) Moderate or greater icing.\n(3) Hail.\n(4) Location of lines of thunderstorms observed on the airborne radar.\n(5) Maximum thunderstorm cloud tops.\n31","CHAPTER 5\n5. Severe Storm Surveillance by Meteorological Satellites: Several types\nof data are available from the various operating meteorological satellites\nduring the severe local storms season. (Table 5-2 summarizes the opera-\ntional satellites and data available.)\na. NOAA Polar Orbiting Satellites. These satellites cross the U.S.\ntwice daily at about 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Visible and infrared data\nfrom the Scanning Radiometer (spatial resolution 4 to 8 km) are centrally\nreceived and mapped to produce global cloud analyses. Selected portions\nof the global analyses are disseminated over domestic facsimile circuits--\nFOFAX, NAFAX, NAMFAX. Twice-daily soundings taken from Vertical Temperature\nProfile Radiometer (VTPR) observations are used in NMC analyses and forecasts\nand are distributed also via teletype on an orbit-by-orbit basis. High\nresolution (1 km) pictures in the visible and infrared from the Very High\nResolution Radiometer (VHRR) covering the U.S. are available via direct\nreadout.\n(1) The mapped satellite cloud analyses disseminated via domestic\nfacsimile contain data from two to three consecutive orbits. Observational\ndata in these analyses range from about three to seven hours old.\n(2)\nVHRR sectors for the U.S. can be made available to Satellite\nField Service Stations (SFSSs) and WSFOs within 30 to 60 minutes after\nobservation if the need exists.\nb. Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES). The\ncurrent GOES system consists of GOES-1 at 75°W, SMS-2 (Synchronous\nMeteorological Satellite) at 135°W, and SMS-1 in standby at 105°W. The\nmain products are pictures taken at frequent intervals, day and night.\nDuring routine operations a picture is taken and disseminated every\n30 minutes. On storm days, pictures are taken at 15-minute intervals.\n(NOTE: Under routine circumstances, each satellite is taken out of service\nfor a 3-hour period every other night while preventive maintenance is\nperformed on the ground equipment. This maintenance is scheduled on\nGOES-1 from 0500-0800 GMT and on SMS-2 from 0515-0815 GMT. If the severity\nof the weather situation warrants, preventive maintenance can be deferred\nor rescheduled to assure continuous satellite coverage until the activity has\nsubsided.)\nDuring daylight hours, standard visible picture sectors of 1, 2 and 4 km\nresolution are produced routinely. During nighttime, equivalent 2 and 4 km\nresolution standard sectors are produced from the IR data. Also, sectors\nof enhanced IR can be produced day or night to emphasize certain weather\nfeatures, such as highest tops in a convective cloud system. A11 standard\nsectors are gridded automatically before they are disseminated. These\nstandard products are delivered in real time to the NESS Analysis and\nEvaluation Branch (AEB), and to WSFOs through the SFSSs. In addition to\nthe standard sectors, each SFSS has two floating sectors which it may center\nover the area (s) of significant weather and keep these areas under sur-\nveillance as they move and develop. AFGWC has a port at the Kansas City SFSS\nby which AFGWC receives GOES imagery (common to MKC/SFSS).\n32","CUPPTER\nDirect GOES picture lines\nSelected photos supplied\nBy telephone conference\nby mail for post mortem\nMETHODS OF DISTRIBUTION\nfrom the CDDF to SFSSs\nwith Severe Weather\nSpecialist in AFGWC\nWHR/TF - Very High Resolution Infrared/Thermal Fine Data (1/3 nm)\nHR/LS - High Resolution/Light Smooth Video Data (1.5-2.0 nm)\nVHR/LF - Very High Resolution/Light Fine Video Data (1/3 nm)\nFacsimile\nand WSFOs\nanalysis\nSATELLITE AND SATELLITE DATA AVAILABILITY FOR 1976 SEVERE LOCAL STORMS SEASON\nIR/TS - Infrared/Thermal Smooth Data (1.5 - 2.0 nm)\nVTPR - Vertical Temperature Profile Radiometer\nVISSR - Visible Infrared Spin-Scan Radiometer\nwith equivalent 2 Km sector geographical\n5. Equivalent IR Sectors (8 Km Resolution,\nVHRR - Very High Resolution Radiometer\n1. 3 hourly 3-dimensional Nephanalysis\n3. Real time VHR and WHR Displays\n1. 8 Km Resolution IR (Full Disk)\n2. 4 Km Resolution VIS Sectors\n3. 2 Km Resolution VIS Sectors\n4. 1 Km Resolution VIS Sectors\n2. Sea-surface temp. analysis\n2. Mapped HR and IR displays\n4. Temperature soundings\nAFGWC PRODUCTS\n1. Cloud cover imagery\n3. Moisture analyses\n6. Enhanced IR data\nNESS PRODUCTS\ncoverage)\nTable 5-2.\nEarly morning/evening\nfor short interval\nviewing available)\n(Limited scan\nNoon/midnight\nEvery 30 min.\nLOCAL TIME\n0900, 2100\nGOES - Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite\nDMSP - Defense Meteorological Satellite Program\nITOS - Improved TIROS Operational Satellite\n- Synchronous Meteorological Satellite\nCDDF - Central Data Distribution Facility\nTYPE OF DATA\nSR (stored)\nVHR/LF\nWHR/TF\nHR/LS\nVISSR\nIR/TS\nVTPR\nVHRR\n(NOAA Series)\nSATELLITE\nGOES-1\n(East)\n(West)\nSMS-2\nDMSP\nITOS\nSMS","CHAPTER 5\n(1) Satellite Field Services Stations (SFSSs). As seen in\nFigure 5-1, GOES picture sectors are distributed from the NESS Central Data\nDistribution Facility at the World Weather Building in Marlow Heights, Md.,\nto SFSSs at Kansas City, Miami, San Francisco, Washington and Honolulu.\nThe SFSS in Kansas City is collocated with the NSSFC; the SFSS in Miami is\ncollocated with both the NHC and the Miami WSFO. A11 other SFSSs are\ncollocated with WSFOs. The SFSSs help WSFOs interpret and use the satellite\npictures. In addition to GOES picture sectors, selected VHRR pictures can\nbe distributed through the GOES system in near real time when the need\nexists.\nThe SFSS in Kansas City supports NSSFC plus all WSFOs in the central U.S.\nfrom Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. This SFSS continuously produces,\nanalyzes, monitors and disseminates GOES products to the stations it\nsupports. It also advises NSSFC and affected WSFOs of areas where the\nsatellite pictures show severe weather in progress or indicate the pos-\nsibility of severe development. This SFSS operates 7 days a week, 24 hours\na day--telephone (FTS) 758-2102.\nC. DOD Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) This is a\nDOD managed system to collect and process meteorological data from space-\nborne sensors. These data are processed by the AFGWC and are available for\ntimely application to severe weather forecasting. DMSP data is currently\narchived by NOAA/NESS at the University of Wisconsin and is available for\nuse in severe weather research and development.\n6. Severe Local Storm Actions of Nonmeteorological Agencies and Individuals.\nThe National Weather Service uses observations of severe local storms,\nparticularly tornadoes, from many nonmeteorological agencies and personnel\nsuch as: utility companies, State Highway Patrols, local police departments,\nroad maintenance patrols, citizen spotters (network), cooperative National\nWeather Service climatological observers, Citizen Band radio groups, local\nCivil Defense Organizations, radio and television station mobile units,\ncity employees (for example, the Chicago Sanitary District), the FAA,\nand individual citizens.\nReports are received by various means-which are not uniform at each WSO--\nincluding Citizen Band or Civil Defense radio facilities (with a trans-\nceiver often located in the WSO and manned by local cooperators), police\nradio, direct telephone lines involving unlisted numbers, the National\nWarning System (NAWAS), State Highway Patrols, teletypewriter circuits by\nmeans of telephone or a sending \"drop\" on statewide NOAA Weather Wire\nService (NWWS) circuits, and Service A teletypewriter circuits.\nReports are disseminated to mass news disseminators, to other WSOs, and to\nsafety agencies by NWWS circuits (first priority, except for a more ex-\npedient means in some local areas), RAWARC, NAWAS, telephones (hotlines and\ncommercial), NOAA Weather Radio direct commercial radio broadcasts, telephone\nrecordings, and Civil Defense radio facilities. The \"fan-out\" principle is\nutilized wherever practical.\n34","CHAPTER 5\nGOES\nW.\nGOES\nE.\nSSEC\nCDA\nMADISON,\nWALLOPS\nWISCONSIN\nSUITLAND\nCOMPLEX\nIR DATA\nSECTORIZORS\nWINDS\nSFSS\nUNIT\nWORLD WEATHER BLDG.\nHONOLULU\nTO SFSS's\nDIRECT\nSFSS\nSFSS\nSFSS\nSFSS\nSAN FRANCISCO\nKANSAS CITY\nWASHINGTON\nMIAMI\nWESTERN\nMID-WEST\nEASTERN\nSAN JUAN\nWSFO's\nWSFO's\nWSFO's\nWSFO\nFigure 5- - 1.\nGOES OPERATIONAL DATA FLOW\n35","CHAPTER 6\nPUBLICITY\nThe Military Weather Advisories and Point Warnings of the Air Force Global\nWeather Central (AFGWC) are designed for specialized military users and\nshall not be released to the public. News media: releases that concern\nthe cooperative efforts in severe storms activities of the Department of\nDefense and NOAA weather services and of other agencies should reflect the\njoint nature of these efforts by giving due credit to participating agencies.\nCopies of these releases should be forwarded to:\nDeputy Director for Operations/Environmental Services\nThe Joint Chiefs of Staff\nWashington, D.C. 20301\nAssistant for Weather, DCS/P&R\nUnited States Air Force\nWashington, D.C. 20330\nAssistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence\nDepartment of the Army\nAttention: DAMI-DOT-C\nWashington, D.C. 20310\nDirector, Naval Oceanography and Meteorology\nBuilding 200\nWashington Navy Yard\nWashington, D.C. 20374\nHeadquarters, Air Weather Service (AWS/CS)\nScott Air Force Base, Ill. 62225\nNOAA Public Affairs Office\n6010 Executive Boulevard\nRockville, Md. 20852\nCommandant, United States Marine Corps\nHeadquarters, United States Marine Corps\nWashington, D.C. 20380\n36","APPENDIX 1\nAEROSPACE DEFENSE COMMAND (ADC)\nWEATHER STATIONS AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY\nThe following AWS units supporting ADC air divisions can obtain appropriate\noperational permission and contact radar sites within the division area\nof responsibility. See attached map for division areas and location of\nradar sites.\nAir Division\n(General Area of\nAutovon\nResponsibility)\nAWS Unit\nNumber\nFTS Number\n20 AD (Southeast)\nDet 41, 12 WS\n687-4008\n732-7256\nFt Lee AFS VA\nExt 765\nExt 765\n21 AD (Northeast)\nDet 27, 12 WS\n587-9620\n458-5500\nHancock Fld NY\nExt 620\n23 AD (N Central)\nDet 8, 12 WS\n825-8765\n727-8211\nDuluth IAP MN\nExt 765\n24 AD (N Plains)\nDet 3, 12 WS\n632-1110\n731-6765\nMalmstrom AFB MT\nExt 6765\n25 AD (Northwest)\nDet 4, 12 WS\n976-6765\n984-6766\nMcChord AFB WA\n26 AD (Southwest)\nDet 11, 12 WS\n853-2611\n935-2611\nLuke AFB AZ\nExt 765\nExt 765\n37","NORTH\nMONTAUK\nCHARLES\nRAPIDS\nGIBBSBORO\nFISHER\nSARATOGA\nGEORGADE\nRICHMOND\nCAPE\nNORMARLESTON\nROANOKE\nKEY WEST\nJACKSONVILLE\nFORT\nPATRICK\nSAVANNAH\n21-AD\nDILL\nAEROSPACE DEFENSE COMMAND AIR DIVISIONS (AD) AND RADAR LOCATIONS\n20-AD\nTYNDALL\nMAC\nSAULT\nSELFRIDGE\nEMPIRE\nAUSTIN\nDAUPHIN\nISLAND\nCALUMET\n23-AD\nPORT\nNo\nANTIGO\nLAKE CHARLES\nBAUDETTE\nFINLAND\nFINLEY\nMINOT\nFORTUNA\n24-AD\nOPHEIM\nSILVER CITY\nEL PASO\nHAVRE\nMALMSTROM\nKALISPELL\nHUMBOLT\n26-AD\nMT. LAGUNA\nSAN PEDRO HILL\nPEAK\nMICA\n25-AD\nBLAINE\nHEBO\nBEND\nVALLEY\nKENO\nMAKAH\nARENA\nALMADEN\nCAMBRIA\nMOUNT\nNORTH\nKLAMATH\nMILL\nPOINT"]}