Number range CHAPTER **APPENDIX** **C**

**CONTINGENCY BACKUP OPERATIONS**

**NATIONAL CENTERS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PREDICTION**

**STORM PREDICTION CENTER (SPC)**

**1.** If SPC is down and can not produce or distribute their products,
Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) at Offutt AFB in Omaha Nebraska will
provide backup for products and dissemination.

**2.** Required products and format:

Tornado/Severe Thunderstorm Watch (**MKCSEL#**; **WWUS9**)

Aviation Tornado/Severe Thunderstorm Watch (**MKCSAW#**;**WWUS40**)

Day 1 Convective Outlook (**MKCSWODY1**; **ACUS1**)

Day 2 Convective Outlook (**MKCSWODY2**; **ACUS2**)

**3.** Watches are issued on an as needed basis. Convective Outlooks are
issued at the following UTC times:

Day 1 - 0600, 1300, 1630, 2000 and 0100

Day 2 - 0830 (0730 during daylight time), 1730.

**4.** The NWS Telecommunications Gateway (NWSTG) and AFWA will be
notified by SPC of the need for backup and requested to initiate any
required backup operations.

**5.** Timeliness: Products should be available as soon as possible
after creation. An estimate of the length or duration of the backup will
be given at the time of notification.

**6.** There will be some degradation of service to the SPC product
user. The following will not be prepared and/or issued:

**a.** Mesoscale Discussions (**MKCSWOMCD**; **ACUS3**),

**b.** Public Severe Weather Outlooks (**MKCPWOMKC**; **WWUS36**),

**c.** Watch Status Messages (**MKCWWAMKC**; **WWUS8**), and

**d.** SPC gathered Report Summaries issued:

**(1)** hourly (**MKCSTAHRY**; **WWUS60**),

**(2)** daily (**MKCSTADTS**; **WWUS60**),

**(3)** monthly (**MKCSTAMTS**; **WWUS61**), and

**(4)** For tornadoes that cause death

or injury (**MKSTATIJ; NWUS63**).

**7.** The SPC Lead Forecaster is the operational point of contact at
SPC. The AFWA Duty Officer is the operational point of contact at AFWA.

**8.** Backup capabilities and procedures will be exercised quarterly.

**AVIATION WEATHER CENTER (AWC)**

**1.** If AWC has lost production or communications capability, backup
will be provided from three U.S. sources: Air Force Weather Agency
(AFWA) at Offutt AFB in Omaha Nebraska; Tropical Prediction Center (TPC)
in Miami, Fl and the Honolulu Forecast Office (HNL) in Honolulu, Hawaii.

**2.** Required products and format:

**a.** AFWA: AIRMET SIERRA

WMO HEADER WAUS1 KBOS

WMO HEADER WAUS1 KMIA

WMO HEADER WAUS1 KCHI

WMO HEADER WAUS1 KFTW

WMO HEADER WAUS1 KSLC

WMO HEADER WAUS1 KSFO

AIRMET TANGO WMO HEADER WAUS1 KBOS

WMO HEADER WAUS1 KMIA

WMO HEADER WAUS1 KCHI

WMO HEADER WAUS1 KFTW

WMO HEADER WAUS1 KSLC

WMO HEADER WAUS1 KSFO

AIRMET ZULU WMO HEADER WAUS1 KBOS

WMO HEADER WAUS1 KMIA

WMO HEADER WAUS1 KCHI

WMO HEADER WAUS1 KFTW

WMO HEADER WAUS1 KSLC

WMO HEADER WAUS1 KSFO

NON-CONVECTIVE SIGMETS\*

WMO HEADER WSUS1 KBOS

WMO HEADER WSUS1 KMIA

WMO HEADER WSUS1 KCHI

WMO HEADER WSUS1 KFTW

WMO HEADER WSUS1 KSLC

WMO HEADER WSUS1 KSFO

URGENT NON-CONVECTIVE SIGMET\*

WMO HEADER WSUS1 KBOS

WMO HEADER WSUS1 KMIA

WMO HEADER WSUS1 KCHI

WMO HEADER WSUS1 KFTW

WMO HEADER WSUS1 KSLC

WMO HEADER WSUS1 KSFO

\* Information for areas of active thunderstorms will be issued as
non-convective SIGMETs during backup operations

**b.** TPC: INTERNATIONAL SIGMETS NEW YORK FIR North of 30^0^N

WMO HEADER MKCSIGA0\*\*

INTERNATIONAL SIGMETS OAKLAND FIR East of 140^0^W,

North of 30^0^N

WMO HEADER MKCSIGP0\*\*

**c.** HNL: INTERNATIONAL SIGMETS OAKLAND FIR West of 140^0^W,

North of 30^0^N

WMO HEADER MCKSIGP0\*\*

\*\* This indicates the letters A through M.

**3.** Products are to be issued as needed for SIGMETs and every six
hours for AIRMETs over T-1 line between AFWA and NCO and then to the
NWSTG.

**4.** The AFWA, TPC and HNL are notified via cellular phone when the
AWC loses capability. They are responsible for issuing a statement that
the AWC is in backup mode.

**5.** Timeliness requirements: Products should be available as soon as
possible after creation. An estimate of the length or duration or the
backup will be given at the time of notification.

**6.** There will be some degradation of service to the customer when
AWC is in a backup mode. The following will not be prepared:

**a.** Area Forecasts,

**b.** Convective SIGMETs\*\*\*,

**c.** High level Significant Weather Charts\*\*\*\*, and

**d.** Aviation parts of the Low level Significant

Weather Charts.

\*\*\*Information for areas of active thunderstorms will be issued as
non-convective SIGMETs.

\*\*\*\*Negotiations are ongoing with the UK Meteorological Office on
provision of backup for this product

**7.** The AWC Lead Forecaster is the point of contact at AWC. The AFWA
Duty Officer is the point of contact at AFWA. The TPC and HNL Lead
Forecasters are the points of contact at TPC and HNL, respectively.

**8.** Testing of the backup capability and procedures will occur
quarterly with the AFWA and annually with the TPC and HNL.