[WeatherBulletin] Public Information Statement - Issued by NWS Greenville-Spartanburg SC

[weather at volcanohost.com]

Weather Bulletin
NOUS42 KGSP 011419
PNSGSP
NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065-068>072-082-501>510-011830-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
919 AM EST MON MAR 1 2010

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

SUBJECT: CHANGES TO THE FIRE WEATHER ZONE FOR THE GREAT SMOKY
MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK IN TENNESSEE AND NORTH CAROLINA EFFECTIVE
MARCH 16 2010

EFFECTIVE TUESDAY MARCH 16 2010 AT 1200 COORDINATED UNIVERSAL 
TIME /UTC/...NWS WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE /WFO/ KNOXVILLE/TRI-
CITIES TN /MRX - MORRISTOWN TN/...WILL SPLIT ITS FIRE WEATHER 
FORECAST ZONE FOR THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK 
/TNZ303/ INTO TWO FIRE WEATHER FORECAST ZONES...TENNESSEE 
PORTION OF THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK /TNZ303/ AND 
NORTH CAROLINA PORTION OF THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL 
PARK /NCZ303/. THIS SPLIT WILL OCCUR ALONG THE TENNESSEE - NORTH 
CAROLINA STATE LINE AND IMPROVE FIRE WEATHER SERVICES... 
INCLUDING WATCH... WARNING AND FORECAST PRODUCTS FOR THE GREAT 
SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK IN EASTERN TENNESSEE AND WESTERN 
NORTH CAROLINA.

MRX/S GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
TNZ303 WILL RETAIN ITS ZONE NUMBER BECAUSE THE CLIMATOLOGY OF 
THE ZONE WILL NOT CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY. IT WILL HOWEVER BE GIVEN 
A NEW ZONE NAME /TENNESSEE PORTION OF THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS 
NATIONAL PARK/ TO BETTER IDENTIFY ITS GEOGRAPHIC EXTENT. THE 
NORTH CAROLINA PORTION OF THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL 
PARK /NCZ303/ IS BEING ASSIGNED A NEW ZONE NAME AND NUMBER TO 
ACCOUNT FOR ITS DIFFERING CLIMATOLOGY. THE NEW FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
NCZ303 WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF WFO GREENVILLE/SPARTANBURG 
/GSP/.

ONCE THIS CHANGE HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED...THE FOLLOWING 
GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTORS WILL BE USED FOR ALL FIRE WEATHER 
FORECAST PRODUCTS ISSUED FOR THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL 
PARK.

TABLE 1 - NEW FIRE WEATHER ZONE /Z/ FORM OF THE UNIVERSAL 
GEOGRAPHIC CODE /UGC/ AND NAMES:

NEW FIRE           NEW           OLD FIRE             OLD
 ZONE NAME         UGC /Z/        ZONE NAME           UGC /Z/
----------         -------       ----------           ------- 
TENNESSEE PORTION  TNZ303        GREAT SMOKY          TNZ303
 OF THE GREAT                     MOUNTAINS NATIONAL
 SMOKY MOUNTAINS                   PARK
 NATIONAL PARK

NORTH CAROLINA     NCZ303        N/A                  N/A
 PORTION OF THE
 GREAT SMOKY
 MOUNTAINS NATIONAL
 PARK

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF TNZ303: THIS INCLUDES THE WESTERN 
PORTION OF THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK COMPLETELY IN 
TENNESSEE AND COVERS PORTIONS OF BLOUNT...SEVIER AND COCKE 
COUNTIES.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF NCZ303: THIS INCLUDES THE EASTERN 
PORTION OF THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK COMPLETELY IN 
NORTH CAROLINA AND COVERS PORTIONS OF SWAIN AND HAYWOOD 
COUNTIES.

TABLE 2 - NWS WATCH...WARNING AND FORECAST PRODUCTS AFFECTED BY 
THESE CHANGES:

FOR WFO MRX/S FIRE WEATHER ZONE TNZ303

PRODUCT                            WMO HEADING    AWIPS ID
-------                            -----------    --------
FIRE WEATHER WATCH                 WWUS84 KMRX    RFWMRX
RED FLAG WARNING                   WWUS84 KMRX    RFWMRX
FIRE WEATHER PLANNING FORECAST     FNUS54 KMRX    FWFMRX
FIRE WEATHER NFDRS FORECAST        FNUS84 KMRX    FWMMRX
FIRE WEATHER SPOT FORECAST         FNUS74 KMRX    FWSMRX

FOR WFO GSP/S FIRE WEATHER ZONE NCZ303

FIRE WEATHER WATCH                 WWUS82 KGSP    RFWGSP
RED FLAG WARNING                   WWUS82 KGSP    RFWGSP
FIRE WEATHER PLANNING FORECAST     FNUS52 KGSP    FWFGSP
FIRE WEATHER NFDRS FORECAST        FNUS82 KGSP    FWMGSP
FIRE WEATHER SPOT FORECAST         FNUS72 KGSP    FWSGSP
POINT FIRE WEATHER                 FOUS54 KGSP    PFWGSP
  FORECAST MATRIX

PARTNERS AND USERS SHOULD TAKE THE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO ENSURE 
SYSTEM/S/ RECOGNIZE THE NEW UGC AND NEW ZONE ALIGNMENTS.

IN ADDITION RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FIRE WEATHER NATIONAL FIRE 
DANGER RATING SYSTEM /NFDRS/ POINT FORECAST FOR THE CHEROKEE 
RAWS SITE /ID 313902/ WILL TRANSFER FROM WFO MRX TO WFO GSP.

AN UPDATED FIRE WEATHER ZONE SHAPEFILE IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT 
/USE LOWERCASE/:

   HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GEODATA/CATALOG/WSOM/HTML/FIREZONE.HTM

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS...PLEASE CONTACT: 

   LARRY GABRIC
   METEOROLOGIST IN CHARGE
   NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
   1549 GSP DRIVE
   GREER SC 29651
   864-848-9970 EXT. 222
   LARRY.GABRIC at NOAA.GOV

   GEORGE MATHEWS
   METEOROLOGIST IN CHARGE
   NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
   5974 COMMERCE BLVD
   MORRISTOWN TN 37814
   423-586-6429 EXT. 222
   GEORGE.MATHEWS at NOAA.GOV

NATIONAL SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES ARE ONLINE AT /USE LOWERCASE/:

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

$$




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