INFORMATIONAL SOURCES ABOUT NWS PRODUCTS, AVAILABILITY, AND SCHEDULES

Now that you know that a multitude of NWS products are available for your use, how do you find out the purpose of all these charts and bulletins?

National Weather Service Forecasting Hand-book No. 1, Facsimile Products, describes many of the different NWS analysis and prognosis charts in detail and gives descriptions of the numerical prediction models used to produce these charts. This book should be available in every U.S. weather office, including the Navy and Marine Corps weather offices.

The NWS Technical Procedure Bulletins (TPBs) series describes, in detail, changes implemented in the various analysis and prognosis models, formats for various bulletins, a breakdown of the coding used in many bulletins, and techniques for making best use of informa-tion in the bulletins. SATFAX and NAFAX schedules are also issued as TPBs. TPBs should be read by every meteorological technician and forecaster. Unfortunately, when TPBs are received, too often they are "pigeon-holed" somewhere or discarded instead of being held as ready reference material.

The best overall listing of facsimile product availability is contained in AWSP 105-52, Volume I, Facsimile Products Guide, on microfiche. This lists both NWS and AFGWC facsimile products, and provides information on MANOP headings (if they have been assigned), area coverage, and on what data is provided.

ASWP 105-52, Volume III, Weather Message provides similar information on all standard and special-use bulletins produced by the NWS, AFGWC, and Naval Oceanography Command units, as well as bulletins available from foreign countries. MANOP headings, area coverage, coding, and other specifics of each bulletin are provided if available. This also is available on microfiche and is updated quarterly. (Volume II in this series is the Weather Station to this lesson.)

Schedules for the four AFDIGS circuits are issued as a message on a monthly basis. Any DOD user of AFDIGS may be placed on distribution for the appropriate circuit schedule.

WEFAX schedules and frequencies are issued by NWS to selected users. The Naval Polar Oceanography Center (NPOC) Suitland re-issues these schedules and frequencies in their Satellite  

Frequencies for the foreign weather broad-casts, both facsimile and radioteletype (RATT), which may contain selected NWS products, are contained in Selected Worldwide Marine Weather some time during the day, a detailed transmission schedule.

Information on the breakdown of many of the codes used in NWS and foreign weather bulletins and on some facsimile charts is contained in NAVAIR 50-1P-11, International Meteorological publications).

Learning Objective: Identify the major numerical prediction models used by the National Weather Service.

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