Public Information Statement

NOUS41 KWBC 181836 CCA
PNSWSH

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...COMMENT REQUEST CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
235 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2009

TO:        SUBSCRIBERS:
           -FAMILY OF SERVICES
           -NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE
           -EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK 
           OTHER NWS PARTNERS...USERS AND EMPLOYEES

FROM:      THERESE Z. PIERCE
           CHIEF...MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH

SUBJECT:   SOLICITING COMMENTS FOR EXPERIMENTAL SAFFIR-
           SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE REVISION THROUGH
           NOVEMBER 30 2009

CORRECTED TO CLARIFY SAFFIR-SIMPSON CATEGORIES AND MOVE 
TROPICAL CYCLONE PUBLIC ADVISORY UNDER LIST OF NHC/CPHC 
PRODUCTS OFFERING STORM SURGE REFERENCES

BEGINNING JUNE 1 2009 AND CONTINUING THROUGH NOVEMBER 30 
2009... NWS IS SEEKING USER FEEDBACK ON EXPERIMENTALLY 
REMOVING STORM SURGE AND FLOODING REFERENCES FROM THE 
SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. THE CHANGE WOULD APPLY TO 
STORMS IN THE ATLANTIC AND EASTERN NORTH AND CENTRAL 
PACIFIC BASINS. NWS PROPOSES TO RENAME THE SCALE THE 
SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE. 

THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE /DEFINITIONS AND 
EFFECTS/ IN ITS CURRENT FORM INCLUDES STORM SURGE RANGES 
AND FLOODING REFERENCES. STORM SURGE RANGES SHOWN IN THE 
EXISTING SCALE ARE FREQUENTLY INCORRECT FOR THE INDICATED 
CATEGORY AS DETERMINED SOLELY BY WIND SPEED AND POTENTIALLY 
MISLEADING IN PREPAREDNESS DECISIONS SINCE THE ACTUAL 
FLOODING DEPENDS ON SEVERAL OTHER FACTORS SUCH AS STORM 
SIZE AND LANDFALL LOCATION.  

THEREFORE...ON AN EXPERIMENTAL BASIS FOR THE 2009 TROPICAL 
CYCLONE SEASON...THESE STORM SURGE RANGES AND FLOODING 
REFERENCES WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE DEFINITION/EFFECTS FOR 
ALL CATEGORIES...CATEGORIES ONE THROUGH FIVE. THE REVISED 
CONTENT WILL BE INCLUDED EXPERIMENTALLY THIS YEAR IN A 
SCALE CALLED THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE.

EXPECTED STORM SURGE AND COASTAL FLOODING FOR INDIVIDUAL 
STORMS ARE CONTAINED IN OTHER NWS PRODUCTS: 

THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER /NHC/ AND CENTRAL PACIFIC 
HURRICANE CENTER /CPHC/: 
-TROPICAL CYCLONE DISCUSSION 
-TROPICAL CYCLONE PUBLIC ADVISORY

NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER ONLY: 
-GRAPHICAL TROPICAL CYCLONE STORM SURGE PROBABILITIES

LOCAL WEATHER FORECAST OFFICES: 
-HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
-AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
-SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
-COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE

MORE INFORMATION IS ONLINE AT /USE LOWERCASE/:

  HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/INFOSERVICECHANGES/SSHWS.PDF

THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE DEFINITIONS AND 
EFFECTS CAN BE VIEWED AT /USE LOWERCASE/:
       
  FOR NHC: HTTP://WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/ABOUTSSHS.SHTML

  FOR CPHC: HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/CPHC/PAGES/ABOUTSSHS.PHP

USERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THIS 
EXPERIMENTAL CHANGE TO NHCWEBMASTER@NOAA.GOV FOR NHC  
AND W-HFO.WEBMASTER@NOAA.GOV FOR CPHC.

A LINK TO ALL NHC EXPERIMENTAL PRODUCTS IS ALSO PROVIDED AT  
/USE LOWERCASE/:

  HTTP://WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/ABOUTEXPERIMENTAL.SHTML

IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS...PLEASE CONTACT: 

  TIMOTHY SCHOTT
  NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
  MARINE AND COASTAL SERVICES BRANCH
  1325 EAST WEST HWY ROOM 13126
  SILVER SPRING MARYLAND 20910
  TIMOTHY.SCHOTT@NOAA.GOV
  301-713-1677 x122 

NATIONAL PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS ARE ONLINE AT  
/USE LOWERCASE/:

  HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/NOTIF.HTM

$$
NNNN