NOUS42 KRAH 071115
PNSRAH
NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089-071800-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
715 AM EDT MON MAY 7 2007

...PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT ON AREA FORECAST DISCUSSIONS...

STARTING WEDNESDAY MAY 9...THE AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION PRODUCT
/FXUS61 RDUAFDRAH/ ISSUED BY NWS RALEIGH NC WILL UNDERGO FORMAT
CHANGES. THE PRODUCT WILL ROUTINELY CONTAIN TOPIC DIVIDERS WHICH
INCLUDE...SYNOPSIS (A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SYNOPTIC PATTERN)...
NEAR TERM (CURRENT TO 24 HOURS)...SHORT TERM (FROM 24 HOURS UP TO
3.5 DAYS)...LONG TERM (DAYS 4-7)...AVIATION (WITH OUTLOOK
INFORMATION OUT TO 5 DAYS)...AND MARINE (NOT APPLICABLE FOR
NWS RALEIGH)...AS WELL AS WATCH...WARNING AND ADVISORY INFORMATION.
ADDITIONAL OPTIONAL TOPIC DIVIDERS WILL INCLUDE CLIMATE...FIRE
WEATHER...HYDROLOGY...EQUIPMENT STATUS...AND TIDES/COASTAL
FLOODING (NOT APPLICABLE FOR NWS RALEIGH).

IN ADDITION TO THE FORMAT CHANGE...PRODUCT ISSUANCES TIMES WILL
BECOME MORE VARIABLE...WITH THE NUMBER OF AFD ISSUANCES ALSO
INCREASING.  IN THE PAST...THE AFD WAS ROUTINELY ISSUED 2 TO 4
TIMES PER DAY...WITH UPDATES (AS NECESSARY) TO A PARTICULAR
TOPIC DIVIDER HANDLED SEPARATELY AT THE TOP OF THE UPDATED AFD.
THE ENTIRE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION CURRENTLY APPEARS AFTER THE
UPDATED AFD SECTIONS.

BEGINNING MAY 9...THE AFD WILL ALWAYS REFLECT (FOR EACH
TOPIC DIVIDER) THE MOST UP-TO DATE FORECAST THINKING. MINIMUM
PRODUCT ISSUANCES WILL FOUR TIMES DAILY. THE AFD WILL BE ISSUED
AROUND 400 AM/PM...AND AT OTHER TIMES TYPICALLY IN THE LATE MORNING
AND EVENING OR AROUND ROUTINE TERMINAL AVIATION FORECAST (TAF)
ISSUANCE TIMES (00Z/06Z/12Z/18Z). UPDATES TO ANY TOPIC DIVIDER WILL
BE GENERATED AS NEEDED...AND INCLUDED AS PART OF THE COMPLETE AFD.
AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE PRODUCT CHANGES APPEARS BELOW.


AFD FORMAT STARTING MAY 9 /REGARDLESS OF ISSUANCE TIME
OR REASON FOR AFD ISSUANCE/:

FXUS61 KRAH DDHHMM
AFDRAH

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
300 PM EDT WED MAY 9 2007

.SYNOPSIS...

&&
.NEAR TERM /NEXT 24 HOURS OR LESS/...

&&
.SHORT TERM /END OF NEAR TERM THROUGH 72 HOURS/...

&&
.LONG TERM /END OF SHORT TERM THROUGH DAY 7/...

&&
.AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH DAY 5/...

&&
.MARINE (AS APPLICABLE)...

&&
.FIRE WEATHER (OPTIONAL)...

&&
.HYDROLOGY (OPTIONAL)...

&&
.CLIMATE (OPTIONAL)...

&&
.TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING (OPTIONAL)...

&&

.RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MD...NONE.
NC...NONE.
VA...NONE.
MARINE...NONE.
&&

FCSTR...

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THE AFD
PRODUCT CHANGES PLEASE CONTACT:

JEFF ORROCK...WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST
PHONE:   919-515-8209
E-MAIL: JEFF.ORROCK@NOAA.GOV