[SARC] PROPOSED CHANGES TO BROADCAST OF SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT'S AND SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERTS

[John Brown]

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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL 
1159 AM EDT MON JUL 14 2008 
 
 
...PROPOSED CHANGES TO BROADCAST OF SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT'S 
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERTS... 
 
THE NWS FORECAST OFFICE IN TALLAHASSEE IS PROPOSING TO NO LONGER 
TRIGGER NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALERTS FOR STORMS THAT ARE LESS THAN 
SEVERE LEVELS. ALL WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND 
FLOODING WOULD CONTINUE TO TRIGGER ALERTS. NOAA WEATHER RADIO IS 
YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE'S BROADCAST SYSTEM. THE SYSTEMS 
GREATEST IMPORTANCE IS THE TIMELY BROADCAST OF SEVERE WEATHER AND 
FLOOD WATCHES AND WARNINGS TO THE PUBLIC. MOST WEATHER RADIO 
RECEIVERS ARE EQUIPPED WITH ALERTING CAPABILITY, REFERRED TO AS 
SPECIFIC AREA MESSAGE ENCODING OR S.A.M.E. THESE RADIOS ALLOW FOR 
USERS TO BE ALERTED WHEN THE NWS ISSUES WATCHES OR WARNINGS FOR 
LIFE THREATENING STORMS, INCLUDING TORNADOES. OVER THE PAST 
SEVERAL YEARS, OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN TRIGGERING S.A.M.E ALERTS FOR 
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THAT OUR FORECASTERS DEEM TO BE LESS THAN 
DAMAGING, SEVERE STORMS. WE ISSUE THESE SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENTS 
AND REFER TO THEM AS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERTS. WE HAVE RECEIVED 
MANY COMMENTS FROM OUR PUBLIC AND OTHER PARTNERS THAT THESE ALERTS 
MAY LEAD TO COMPLACENCY OR EVEN WORSE, CAUSE SOME PEOPLE TO TURN 
OFF THEIR WEATHER RADIOS, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. THE SPECIAL WEATHER 
STATEMENTS - SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERTS WOULD CONTINUE TO 
INTERRUPT THE NOAA WEATHER RADIO BROADCAST CYCLE. HOWEVER, THEY 
WOULD NO LONGER SOUND AN ALERT ON WEATHER RADIO S.A.M.E RECEIVERS. 
THEY WILL APPEAR ON OUR WEBSITE AND BE SENT TO OUR BROADCAST 
PARTNERS FOR THEIR USE IN BRIEFING THE PUBLIC. WE ARE PLANNING TO 
IMPLEMENT THIS CHANGE WEDNESDAY AUGUST 13TH. THIS CHANGE REFLECTS 
OUR INTENT TO REFINE OUR PUBLIC SERVICE AND ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY. 
IN THAT REGARD WE INVITE YOUR COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS AS TO HOW 
TO IMPROVE OUR SERVICES. WE THANK THE PUBLIC AND OUR PARTNERS FOR 
YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT. 
 
 
 
BOB GOREE 
WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST (WCM) 
NWS FORECAST OFFICE, TALLAHASSEE, FL (TAE) 

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John Brown - KE4HIE
ARRL Emergency Coordinator
Covington Co. Alabama 
E-Mail - ke4hie at alaweb.com
Cell Phone - 334-804-7233
For links to local weather information
Go to the following sites:
http://www.alaweb.com/~ke4hie/index.html or
http://www.alaweb.com/~ke4hie/weather.html or
view the South Alabama Radio Club Web Pages at:
http://www.wc4m.net

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