# Presentation: 900674

## Options for Future Event-Based Hydrologic Products

**Options for Future Event-Based Hydrologic Products**
**Tim Helble**
**Hydrologic Services Division**
**Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services**

## Topics

**Current suite of event-based hydrologic products**
**Three of many possible options for the future**

## Current Product Configuration

**FFW for Flash Flood Warnings, FFS for follow-ups (flash flood statement)**
**FF.W indicates flash flood warning for an area**
**No VTEC phenomena/significance code for flash flood warning for a point**
**FFA for Flood/Flash Flood Watches**
**FF.A indicates flash flood watch for an area**
**FA.A indicates flood watch for an area**
**FL.A indicates flood watch for a point**

## Current Product Configuration

**FLW for Flood Warnings, FLS for follow-ups (flood statement)**
**FL.W indicates point-based warning**
**FA.W indicates areal warning**
**FLS for Flood Advisories – both initial and follow-ups**
**FL.Y indicates point-based advisory**
**FA.Y indicates areal advisory**

## Current Product Configuration

**Each product has a unique MND Product Type Line – e.g.:**
**FLASH FLOOD WARNING**
**FLOOD WARNING**
**FLOOD WATCH**

## An Opportunity...

**Next Generation Warning Tool (NGWT) provides an opportunity to:**
**Eliminate current difficulties in hydro products arising from use of three different applications**
**Start from scratch and build a product suite that meets the needs of partners and other users.**
**Implement better product quality control**
**Timeframe: 3+ years**

## Future Option #1

**Keep current configuration of product identifiers.**
**Keep unique MND Product Type Lines – e.g., FLASH FLOOD WARNING, FLOOD WATCH.**
***Partially***** rely on VTEC to parse products**
**Action codes – e.g., NEW, CON**
**Phenomena codes – e.g., FL, FA**
**Significance codes – e.g., W, A, Y**

## Future Option #1

**Pros:**
**Already understood by partners and other users.**
**Cons:**
**Too many product identifiers -- can be confusing.**
**Doesn’t allow for an upgrade/downgrade capability (e.g., watch to warning).**
**Doesn’t allow for a transition capability (e.g., flash flood warning to flood warning).**
**Very limited ability to issue products combining different types of segments (all segments must be under the same identifier).**

## Future Option #2

**One product identifier for all hydrologic watches, one for all flood warnings, and one for all advisories**
**Keep unique MND Product Type Lines – e.g., FLASH FLOOD WARNING, FLOOD  WATCH**
***Partially***** rely on VTEC to parse products**

## Future Option #2

**Pros:**
**More logical structure – one unique identifier for each major type of product.**
**Allows for a transition capability (e.g., flash flood warning to flood warning).**
**Some ability to issue products combining different types of segments (so long as they use the same product identifier).**
**Cons:**
**Doesn’t allow for an upgrade/downgrade capability (e.g., watch to warning).**
**Only eliminates two identifiers.**
**Somewhat limited ability to issue products combining different types of segments (all segments must be under the same identifier).**

## Future Option #3

** ****One product identifier for all event-based products (watch/warning/advisories) – FLW**
**Keep unique MND Product Type Lines – e.g., FLASH FLOOD WARNING, FLOOD WATCH**
***Entirely***** rely on VTEC to parse products.  Users can also parse on the MND Product Type Lines if necessary**

## Future Option #3

**Pros: **
**Very simple – one identifier covers all (like WSW).**
**Allows for **_**both**_** a transition capability (e.g., flash flood warning to flood warning) and an upgrade capability (e.g., flood watch to flood warning).**
**Provides maximum ability to issue products combining different types of segments – e.g., a single product containing two points in flood, two at flood advisory level, two under a flood watch, and the entire upper portion of the basin covered by an areal flood warning.**
**Places emphasis on versatile VTEC information rather than product identifiers.**
**Cons:**
**Would likely require users who automatically parse NWS products to make changes to their software.**

## Feedback

**Option preference, other ideas?  Please contact:**
**Tim Helble**
**timothy.helble@noaa.gov**
**(301) 713-0006 x152**