BEGINNING APRIL 1 2009...THE NWS WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE IN 
BLACKSBURG WILL EXPERIMENT ISSUING STORM-BASED STATEMENTS ON SELECT 
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENTS.  

STORM-BASED PRODUCTS WILL PROMOTE IMPROVED GRAPHICAL DISPLAYS AND IN 
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR...SUPPORT A WIDER DISTRIBUTION 
OF PRODUCTS THROUGH CELL PHONE ALERTS...PAGERS...WEB-ENABLED 
PERSONAL DATA ASSISTANTS /PDAS/...ETC.  IN SITUATIONS WHERE A MORE 
GENERAL SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT IS NEEDED (I.E. BROAD AREA OF 
STORMS...WINTER WEATHER PHENOMENA...ETC.) SPECIAL WEATHER 
STATEMENTS WILL NOT CONTAIN LAT/LON INFORMATION AT THE BOTTOM OF THE 
PRODUCT.  

A STORM-BASED PRODUCT MEANS THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA AFFECTED IS   
DEFINED BY THE LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE PAIRS LISTED AT THE BOTTOM OF 
THE WARNING PRODUCT. THE LIST OF COUNTIES IMPACTED BY THE STATEMENT 
WILL CONTINUE TO BE PROVIDED IN THE CURRENT FORMAT TO SUPPORT THOSE 
USERS THAT DO NOT HAVE GRAPHICAL DEPICTIONS OF THE WARNING 
AREA...INCLUDING NOAA WEATHER RADIO LISTENERS. 

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL USE THE STORM BASED SERVICE ON 
THE FOLLOWING PRODUCT:

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT /SPS/

THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO THE PRODUCT FORMAT...ADVANCED WEATHER 
INTERACTIVE PROCESSING SYSTEM /AWIPS/ IDENTIFIER...WORLD 
METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION /WMO/ HEADING OR PRODUCT ISSUANCE 
TIMES. 

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS...PLEASE CONTACT:

  PHIL HYSELL
  NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG
  1750 FORECAST DRIVE
  BLACKSBURG, VA 24060
  PHONE: 540-552-1041 X2
  EMAIL: PHIL.HYSELL@NOAA.GOV

HERE IS AN EXAMPLE:

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
441 PM EST TUE MAR 3 2009

VAZ013-014-017-018-022>024-033-034-032245-
BEDFORD VA-BOTETOURT VA-CRAIG VA-FLOYD VA-FRANKLIN VA-MONTGOMERY VA-
PULASKI VA-ROANOKE VA-ROCKBRIDGE VA-
441 PM EST TUE MAR 3 2009

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT BEDFORD...BOTETOURT...CITY OF 
BEDFORD...CITY OF RADFORD...CITY OF ROANOKE...CITY OF SALEM... 
CRAIG...FLOYD...FRANKLIN...MONTGOMERY...PULASKI...ROANOKE AND 
ROCKBRIDGE COUNTIES...

AT 440 PM EST...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 4 MILES SOUTH OF 
RADFORD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 23 MPH.

WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.

THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR FAIRLAWN AROUND 450 PM...WALTON...AND PILOT 
AROUND 455 PM...CHRISTIANSBURG...PRICES FORK...AND TERRY FORK AROUND 
505 PM...MERRIMAC...AND CROCKETT SPRINGS AROUND 510 PM...BLACKSBURG 
AROUND 515 PM AND SHAWSVILLE AROUND 520 PM.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR LATER 
UPDATES OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

LAT...LON 3779 7978 3737 7924 3694 8055 3707 8071
      3780 7982

$$