NWS Report Formats

[ufo2826]

Can anyone tell me where to find out "how to read" NWS reports abbreviations, etc.

For example, what does the following "say"?

TXZ173-183-191>194-202>209-217>225-228-101130-
/O.CON.KEWX.HT.Y.0004.000000T0000Z-090711T0000Z/

I'm brand new here ... hope this is the correct board for this question.

[user3162]

Here is how to decode a metar.
http://snowball.millersville.edu/~cws/html/resources/metars.htm

[saratogaWX]

Rather than a METAR, it looks like the header on a message from the NWS.  Using http://www.nws.noaa.gov/emwin/winugc.htm as a source, this means:

TXZ173-183-191>194-202>209-217>225-228

probably implies "the following applies to Zones TXZ173,TXZ183,TXZ191...TXZ194,TXZ202...TXZ209,TXZ217...TXZ225,TXZ228"
where TXZ191...TXZ194 means TXZ191,TXZ192,TXZ193,TXZ194


-101130-  product to be purged on DDHHMM or July 10 at 11:30Z

/O.CON.KEWX.HT.Y.0004. (originating NWS office? and sequence number (0004)?)

000000T0000Z-090711T0000Z  timestamp valid from YYMMDDtHHMM 'zulu' time so anytime (000000T0000Z) to July, 11, 2009 at 00:00 GMT


I think the advisory you're looking at was

Heat Advisory
Williamson (Texas)

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
302 PM CDT FRI JUL 10 2009
...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH 7 PM CDT SATURDAY FOR
MUCH OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...
.INTENSE HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES OVER THE AREA. A SOUTHERLY FLOW
IN THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE WILL MAINTAIN HIGH HEAT
INDEX VALUES LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING AS WELL AS
TOMORROW AFTERNOON.
TXZ173-183-191>194-202>209-217>225-228-110415-
/O.EXT.KEWX.HT.Y.0004.000000T0000Z-090712T0000Z/
WILLIAMSON-VAL VERDE-HAYS-TRAVIS-BASTROP-LEE-KINNEY-UVALDE-MEDINA-
BEXAR-COMAL-GUADALUPE-CALDWELL-FAYETTE-MAVERICK-ZAVALA-FRIO-
ATASCOSA-WILSON-KARNES-GONZALES-DE WITT-LAVACA-DIMMIT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...GEORGETOWN...DEL RIO...SAN MARCOS...
AUSTIN...BASTROP...GIDDINGS...BRACKETTVILLE...UVALDE...HONDO...
SAN ANTONIO...NEW BRAUNFELS...SEGUIN...LOCKHART...LA GRANGE...
EAGLE PASS...CRYSTAL CITY...PEARSALL...PLEASANTON...FLORESVILLE...
KARNES CITY...GONZALES...CUERO...HALLETTSVILLE...CARRIZO SPRINGS
302 PM CDT FRI JUL 10 2009
...HEAT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT SATURDAY...
ANOTHER HOT DAY IS FORECAST SATURDAY WITH HIGHS OF 101 TO 105.
HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL RANGE BETWEEN 105 AND 110 DURING THE
AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS TOMORROW.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS VERY HIGH TEMPERATURES AND HUMIDITY WILL
CREATE CONDITIONS THAT MAY CAUSE HEAT EXHAUSTION OR HEAT STROKE.
DRINK PLENTY NON-ALCOHOLIC FLUIDS...STAY IN AIR CONDITIONED
BUILDINGS...STAY OUT OF THE SUN...AND CHECK ON RELATIVES AND
NEIGHBORS.
$$

(from  http://www.weather.gov/alerts/tx.html#TXZ173.EWXNPWEWX.200200)

Hope this helps...
Best regards,
Ken

[floodcaster]

The code is VTEC (Valid Time Event Code). For much more info on decoding see:
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/vtec/

Your example shows a CONtinuation of a heat advisory (HT.Y) issued from KEWX, Austin San Antonio.

[saratogaWX]

Great link for the VTEC encoding.. I found this 'decoder ring' in the presentation by Art Krause on the website above

Best regards,
Ken

[port1]

What would we do without you, Ken?
 
Thanks. Awesome!

Henry

[ufo2826]

The code is VTEC (Valid Time Event Code). For much more info on decoding see:
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/vtec/

Wow, what knowledge. The link led me to exactly what I was searching for .... I wandered all over the NWS/NOAA website trying to locate a decoder. Probably, my first problem was I didn't know what to call it; VTEC is not a term I would have EVER thought of.

My example was, indeed, part of a heat advisory for many parts of Texas. We're expecting triple digits again today ... and no rain. The honey bees are coming to our patio fountain for water!

Does anyone know where to find a chart that shows the "zones" as assigned by NWS? As I look at these reports, I'm curious as to where the zones are. I know the report lists counties and cities later on, but am still curious about zones.

Thanks very much for the info.

Note to floodcaster: I see you're in Morris, IL. I lived in Libertyville 1989-2003 and used to fly from Waukegan to Morris for fun; used to get a bite to eat at the little restaurant there on the field. It was run by a lady (name escapes me) and had good food; I wonder if it's still there.

Thanks, guys!

[floodcaster]

Note to floodcaster: I see you're in Morris, IL. I lived in Libertyville 1989-2003 and used to fly from Waukegan to Morris for fun; used to get a bite to eat at the little restaurant there on the field. It was run by a lady (name escapes me) and had good food; I wonder if it's still there.

Wow, small world indeed. The airport restaurant is still there but I think the management has changed.

PS...you can try this link for the zone info. Click on the (county/zone list) and you can get a listing plus a link to a map.

Bill

[ufo2826]

PS...you can try this link for the zone info. Click on the (county/zone list) and you can get a listing plus a link to a map.

Bill

Thanks, that what I needed. Is there some magic in knowing how to find things on NWS/NOAA, or just many years of doing it? I seem to wander around aimlessly ...