# Presentation: 061646

## Watch By County Status Update

***NWS Partners Workshop***
***June 24, 2004***

***Mark Tew  ***
***Fire and Public Weather Services Branch***
***Office of Climate, Water and Weather Services***

## Overview 

**Recent Watch By County History **
**SPC Software Development**
**WFO Software Development  **
**2004 WBC Milestones **
**Implementation Issues**
**Reminder **
** **

## Recent Watch By County History

**Initial Watch Outline Update Message Became an Operational Product on January 6**
**Internal Test of WFO WBC Software in March**
**Select WFOs Issuing WCNs on an Experimental Basis.  **
***18 WFOs by mid July***
**WOUs are now the NWS’s Primary County Based Convective Watch  Product   **

## SPC Software Development    

**Service Backup    **
***Successfully tested backup of initial WOUs  ***
***Will test backup of hourly update and final WOUs in September       ***
**Valid Time Event Code  (Revised Specification Pending)  **
***Use Revised Specification******  ***
***Add to WOUs on July 7   ***
***“******X” code for initial WOUs***
***“******E” code for hourly update and final WOUs   ***
**Marine Zones **
***Add on July 7***

## Watch Outline Update Message   

- OUS64 KWNS 022245
**BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED**
**SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE FOR WS 387**
**NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK**
**550 PM CDT WED JUN 2 2004**
**SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 387 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 12:00 AM CDT**
**FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS**
**OKC141-030500-**
**OK **
**. OKLAHOMA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE**
**TILLMAN              **
**$$**
**TXC001-009-023-035-059-085-093-113-119-121-133-139-143-151-155-**
**161-193-197-207-213-217-221-223-231-237-251-253-257-275-289-293-**
**309-349-353-363-367-379-397-417-425-429-439-441-447-467-485-487-**
**497-503-030500-**
**TX **
**. TEXAS COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE**
**ANDERSON             ARCHER              BAYLOR              **
**BOSQUE              ****	**** CALLAHAN          COLLIN              **
**COMANCHE            DALLAS               DELTA               **
**DENTON                 EASTLAND           ELLIS               **
**ERATH                    FISHER                FOARD               **
**FREESTONE          HAMILTON           HARDEMAN            **
**HASKELL                HENDERSON       HILL                **
**HOOD                      HOPKINS             HUNT                **
**JACK                       JOHNSON            JONES               **
**KAUFMAN               KNOX                   LEON                **
**LIMESTONE            MCLENNAN         NAVARRO             **
**NOLAN                    PALO PINTO        PARKER              **
**RAINS                    ROCKWALL           SHACKELFORD         **
**SOMERVELL          STEPHENS            TARRANT             **
**TAYLOR                 THROCKMORTON VAN ZANDT           **
**WICHITA                 WILBARGER           WISE                **
**YOUNG                **
**$$**
**ATTN...WFO...OUN...FWD...SJT...**

**Notes:**
I have one graphic slide to show the difference between WBC and the legacy system at the national level  

The map on the left shows a national level depiction of a convective watch using the current national watch products

The map on the right shows the same watch using a national WBC convective watch product  

Both the national and local WBC products will allow our customers to accurately track the modification of this watch until it is cancelled   

## WFO Software Development    

**Service Backup     **
***Successfully test backup of WCNs  ***
**Valid Time Event Code  (Revised Specification Pending)   **
***Switched to the revised specification in May  ***
***“******E” code for all WCNs   ***
**Marine Zones **
***Add on July 7 at coastal WFOs ******    ***
**Watch Extensions in Area (Adding Counties) **
***Added in May ******     ***

## Watch County Notification Message   

**WWUS62 KCHS 190926**
**WCNCHS**
**EXPERIMENTAL...WATCH COUNTY NOTIFICATION FOR WATCH 966**
**NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC**
**419 AM EST WED NOV 19 2003**
**THIS WATCH COUNTY NOTIFICATION PRODUCT IS AN EXPERIMENTAL PRODUCT**
**BEING ISSUED IN ADDITION TO OUR SEVERE WEATHER PRODUCTS.**
**GAC029-031-043-051-103-109-165-179-183-191-251-267-SCC005-013-029-**
**049-053-191500-**
**/E.NEW.KCHS.TO.A.0966.031119T0920Z-031119T1500Z/**
**THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH 966 UNTIL 1000**
**AM EST WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS...**
**IN SOUTHEAST GEORGIA**
**BRYAN               BULLOCH               CANDLER**
**CHATHAM             EFFINGHAM             EVANS**
**JENKINS             LIBERTY               LONG**
**MCINTOSH            SCREVEN               TATTNALL**
**IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA**
**ALLENDALE          BEAUFORT              COLLETON**
**HAMPTON            JASPER**
**INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CLAXTON...DARIEN...HALFMOON LANDING...**
**HINESVILLE...LUDOWICI...METTER...MILLEN...PEMBROKE...REIDSVILLE...**
**SAVANNAH...SPRINGFIELD...STATESBORO...SYLVANIA...TOWNSEND...**
**WILMINGTON...WILMINGTON ISLAND...ALLENDALE...BEAUFORT...EDISTO**
**BEACH...HAMPTON...HILTON HEAD ISLAND...RIDGELAND AND WALTERBORO**
**$$**

## 2004 WBC Milestones    

| Milestone | Date |
| --- | --- |
| New WWA Design Alpha Testing | May – September  
 |
| Add Marine Zones to WOUs and WCNs  | July  7 |
| Add VTEC to WOUs  | July 7 |
| Second OT+E ( 18 Alpha Sites)   | September – October   |
| Expand WBC Testing to all CONUS WFOs | September  
 |
| Implement WBC | February 2005  |

## Implementation Issue 1    

**Issue: Expanding WBC Testing to the remaining WFOs in CONUS **
**Background: Around 100 WFOs will begin issuing WCNs by end of September.  These offices will receive national teletraining in July and local “hands on” training in August.     **
**Impacts:  **
***Limited real time convective watch opportunities from September to February ***
***Potential WCN errors in early 2005 as WFOs learn on the go with WBC and WFO software ***

**Notes:**
In conclusion, here are the key milestones from now until the new WBC implementation date:

The national WBC product called the Watch Outline Update Message issued at the start of the convective watch is ready for operational use.   Updated WOUs issued at the top of each hour would remain experimental until January 2005 

This product provides a new service at the national level and will ease the transition from the stated based Areal Outline Statement (SLS)    

We will expand WBC testing to all CONUS WFOs next February 

We will also include WBC in a larger VTEC OT+E next spring or summer  

## Implementation Issue 2    

**Issue: Transition from the Legacy Convective Watch Products (SEV/SLS/SPS) to Watch By County (WOU/WCN)**
**Background:  The Watch By County suite of products replaces the existing convective watch products.  **
**Question:  How should the NWS execute the transition from the legacy watch products to the WBC products with minimal impact to both customers and our offices?**
**Options**
***Partners accepted a 30 day service overlap with operational legacy and WBC products – January Partners Workshop in Seattle***
***Discontinue legacy products on March 8, 2005  ***

## Reminder     

**Watch By County Provides an Orderly Process for Convective Watches from the Time of Issuance Until Cancellation      **
***National (WOU) and Local (WCN) Products Linked by Software ***
***VTEC Event Tracking Number Provides Easy Identification of all Products for one or More Watches    ***
**Existing Convective Watch Product Suite Does Not Meet Your Needs   **
***Limited Number of Customers use the SPS for Watch “Clearing” Information ***
***SLS Information Often Does Not Match National Product Information  ******     ***

## Legacy System vs. WBC   

- Legacy Watch System

- Watch By County

**Notes:**
I have one graphic slide to show the difference between WBC and the legacy system at the national level  

The map on the left shows a national level depiction of a convective watch using the current national watch products

The map on the right shows the same watch using a national WBC convective watch product  

Both the national and local WBC products will allow our customers to accurately track the modification of this watch until it is cancelled   

## The EndQuestion or Comments?