NOUS41 KWBC 042015
PNSWSH

SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE 09-52
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
315 PM EST FRI DEC 4 2008

TO:       SUBSCRIBERS:
          -FAMILY OF SERVICES
          -NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE
          -EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK
          -NOAAPORT
          OTHER NWS PARTNERS...AND NWS EMPLOYEES

FROM:     ELI JACKS
          CHIEF...FIRE AND PUBLIC WEATHER SERVICES BRANCH

SUBJECT:  NATIONAL CHANGE IN MINIMUM HAIL SIZE CRITERION 
          FOR ISSUING SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING /SVR/ 
          AND SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT SVS/ PRODUCTS 
          EFFECTIVE JANUARY 5 2010

EFFECTIVE TUESDAY JANUARY 5 2010 AT 0001 COORDINATED UNIVERSAL TIME 
/UTC/...ALL NWS WEATHER FORECAST OFFICES /WFOS/ WILL OPERATIONALLY 
CHANGE THE MINIMUM HAIL SIZE CRITERION USED TO ISSUE SEVERE 
THUNDERSTORM WARNING /SVR/ AND SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT /SVS/ 
PRODUCTS FROM 3/4 INCH /PENNY/ DIAMETER OR LARGER HAIL TO 1 INCH 
/QUARTER/ DIAMETER OR LARGER HAIL.

NO CHANGE IS BEING MADE TO THE SVR AND SVS PRODUCT WIND CRITERION 
OF WIND GUSTS EQUAL TO OR IN EXCESS OF 50 KNOTS /58 MPH/.

A PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT /PNS/ SOLICITING COMMENTS REGARDING 
THIS CHANGE WAS ISSUED SEPTEMBER 23 2009 /USE LOWERCASE/:

  HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/NOTIFICATION/PNS09_1_INCH_HAIL.TXT

NWS RECEIVED 63 COMMENTS IN RESPONSE TO THE PNS...54 OF WHICH /86 
PERCENT/ SUPPORTED THIS CHANGE. A WEB PAGE WILL BE CREATED TO 
ADDRESS ALL COMMENTS SINCE SOME COMMENTS INDICATED A NEED FOR 
ADDITIONAL OUTREACH. THIS WEB PAGE WILL BE AVAILABLE BY DECEMBER 15 
2009 AND WILL BE PUBLICIZED VIA ANOTHER PNS.

NWS REVIEWED ALL COMMENTS BEFORE DECIDING TO CHANGE MINIMUM HAIL 
SIZE CRITERION FOR SVR AND SVS PRODUCTS.

CENTRAL AND WESTERN REGION WFOS CURRENTLY ISSUE SVR AND SVS 
PRODUCTS EXPERIMENTALLY USING THE 1 INCH /QUARTER/ DIAMETER OR 
LARGER HAIL SIZE CRITERION /USE LOWER CASE/:

  HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIFICATION/SCN09-19HAIL_CHANGE.TXT
AND
  HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIFICATION/SCN09-36WR_HAIL_EXP.TXT

THESE WFOS WILL CONTINUE TO ISSUE 1 INCH /QUARTER/ HAIL SIZE 
CRITERION PRODUCTS EXPERIMENTALLY THROUGH JANUARY 4 2010. ALL NWS 
WFOS WILL ADOPT THE NEW CRITERION OPERATIONALLY ON JANUARY 5 2010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THIS CHANGE PLEASE CONTACT:

  JOHN T FERREE
  FIRE AND PUBLIC WEATHER SERVICES BRANCH
  120 DAVID L. BOREN BLVD SUITE 2312
  NORMAN OK 73072
  405-325-2209
  JOHN.T.FERREE@NOAA.GOV

NATIONAL SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES ARE ONLINE AT /USE LOWERCASE/:

  HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/NOTIF.HTM

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