# Presentation: 726571

## Implementation of H-VTEC and Associated Policy

**Tim Helble**
**Hydrologic Services Policy Program Leader**
**Office of Climate, Water, **
**and Weather Services**

## Presentation Topics

**10-922 - Event-Based Products**
**10-921 - WFO Hydrologic Operations**
**10-940 - Hydrologic Data Network Services**

**Areas Affected by Changes in Policy:**

## Event-Based Products (10-922)

**Flood Warnings for Forecast Points**
**Areal Flood Warning/Advisory Products**
**Flash Flood (FFW & FFS – FF.W)**
**Areal Flood (FLW & FLS – FA.W)**
**Areal Advisories (FLS – FA.Y)**

## Flood Warnings for Forecast Points

**Use hook phrases in bullets:**
**SAFETY MESSAGE...**
**RECENT ACTIVITY...**
**FORECAST...**
**IMPACT...**
**May have more than one IMPACT bullet**
**FLOOD HISTORY...**

## Flood Warnings for Forecast Points

**If synopsis is included at top, ensure it starts with a dot (.)**
**Ensure correct use of && and $$**
**&& delineates different data type**
**$$ delineates end of segment**
**$$ also delineates end of product**
**If you save up multiple forecast point info for a single tabular summary at the end of the product, ensure your templates are coded to have a $$ placed at the end of that tabular summary.**

## Flood Warnings for Forecast Points

**Each segment can stand on its own – one doesn’t have CTA, web URL, etc. that other segments don’t have**
**CTA, if included, goes at top as part of the synopsis.  Reasons:**
**If placed after &&, it’s not decodable info**
**If placed anywhere else inside a segment, users are looking for bullets**
**Let’s have National consistency!**

## Note About RiverPro

**Ensure each of your forecast points is associated with at least one county in the hydro DB**
**Never bring a RiverPro product into a text editor before issuing it!**
**See following examples of errors caused by this, shown at NWS Partners Meeting (seen by AA, OCWWS Dir., etc.)**

## Note About RiverProProblem Encountered by AccuWeather

**IAC057-115-ILC071-131****-**_**<UGC+720>-**_
**1107 AM CDT TUE APR 03 2007**
**THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN QUAD CITIES HAS ISSUED A**
*** FLOOD WARNING FOR**
**  ****MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT KEITHSBURG**
*** UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.**
*** NO FLOODING IS OCCURRING AND MINOR  FLOODING IS FORECAST.**
**$$**

## Note About RiverProProblem Encountered by AccuWeather

_**170717-**_
**/X.NEW.KALY.FL.W.0038.070417T0014Z-070417T1525Z/**
**/CTVM3.1.ER.070417T0014Z.070417T0700Z.070417T0925Z.UU/**
**317 PM EDT MON APR 16 2007**
**THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALBANY HAS ISSUED A**
*** FLOOD WARNING FOR**
**  ****THE EAST BRANCH OF THE HOUSATONIC AT**
**  ****COLTSVILLE.**
*** FROM THIS EVENING UNTIL TUESDAY MORNING.**
*** AT 2 PM MONDAY THE STAGE WAS...4.1 FEET.**
**  ****(...)**
**&&**

## Note About RiverProProblem Encountered by AccuWeather

**PAC017-170649-**
**/X.EXT.KPHI.FL.W.0021.000000T0000Z-070417T1000Z/**
**/LNGP1.3.ER.070415T1526Z.070416T0545Z.070417T0400Z.NO/**
**449 PM EDT MON APR 16 2007**
**PAC017-170649-**
**/X.EXT.KPHI.FL.W.0021.000000T0000Z-070417T1000Z/**
**/LNGP1.3.ER.070415T1526Z.070416T0545Z.070417T0400Z.NO/**
**449 PM EDT MON APR 16 2007**
**...FLOOD WARNING EXTENDED UNTIL TUESDAY MORNING FOR**
**  ****THE NESHAMINY CREEK AT LANGHORNE**
*** UNTIL TUESDAY MORNING...OR UNTIL THE WARNING IS**
**  ****CANCELLED.**
*** AT 1:00 PM MONDAY THE STAGE WAS 11.2 FEET**
**  ****(...)**
**$$**

## Note About RiverPro/FLS

**FLS identifier now only to be used for “VTEC-able” events, i.e.,**
**Follow-up to flood warnings for fcst points**
**Point-specific flood advisories**
**No more using FLS w/o VTEC to describe below flood stage events – use RVS (or FLS-Advisory)**
**No stand-alone ROU (HY.S) segments**
**Phenom./Sig. for follow-up FLS is FL.W**

## Areal Warning Products (WarnGen)FFW / FLW / FLS

**Original RR: 4/02/07 – 9/25/07**
**Original OT&E: 5/16/07 – 7/06/07**
**National operational date for flash flood warning: 9/25/07**
**Restart OT&E for areal flood warning / flood advisory late summer**
**National operational date for areal flood warning / flood advisory: mid Nov.**

## Format: 3-4 bullets with VTEC
Extensions supported
Careful – in CON products, changing the polygon controls what areas are  still to be covered by product
Drag polygon out of a county - next product says warning/advisory is cancelled there
Drag polygon into new county - next product says warning/advisory continues there

**Extensions supported**
**Careful – in CON products, changing the polygon controls what areas are  still to be covered by product**
**Drag polygon out of a county - next product says warning/advisory is cancelled there**
**Drag polygon into new county - next product says warning/advisory continues there**

**Areal Warning Products (WarnGen)****FFW / FLW / FLS**

## Avoid polygons like this (issue two separate warnings):

**Areal Warning Products (WarnGen)****FFW / FLW / FLS**

## When issuing a FFW / Areal FLW, be sure to select a long enough valid time to cover the uncertainty in event start time and duration
Beware of OB 8.1 limit of 20 lat/lon pairs for polygons

**Beware of OB 8.1 limit of 20 lat/lon pairs for polygons**

**Areal Warning Products (WarnGen)****FFW / FLW / FLS**

## Be sure your staff issues follow-up FFAs (e.g., CON) before the initial product expires

**Areal Watch Products (GHG)****FFA**

## A Word About National Partners

**Historically, we tailored products to local partners and other users**
**Loosely written national policy (E-22)**
**Everyone designed their own FLW / FLS**
**National partners – new kid on block, and valued allies**
**They are now local partners – e.g., provide feeds to local media**
**Need consistent format, good VTEC**

## WFO Hydro Operations (10-921)

**Nationally standardized dam failure procedures in 10-921.  Recommends:**
**HPMs participate in dam failure table top exercises**
**Get WFO name & number high in EAP lists**
**Sequence of procedures to follow when issuing products**
**LMRFC’s rules of thumb application**

## WFO Hydro Operations (10-921)

**Changes to forecast values must be made to the hydro DB (or coordinate with RFC), not just the FLW**
**VTEC implications**
**AHPS Web page implications**
**Basic procedures for HAZMAT spills into rivers**
**Importance of notifying the NWS Incident Coordination Center (ICC)**

## Hydrologic Data Network Services (10-940)

**New procedures for stream gage closures**
**Datum in NWS products must be same as that used by stream gage operator**

## Coming Soon

**National River Location Database**
**DGT product will be used to issue and update drought information instead of ESF (new directive soon to be posted: 10-1201)**

## Questions?