Appendices

Interagency Agreement for the Meteorological Services in Support of Agencies with Land and Fire Management Responsibilities (Click Here)

Fire Weather Zone Maps

Catalog of Fire Weather Observation Sites within the State of Virginia

Name; County; NWS Office; Station ID; Latitude; Longitude; Elevation

BACK BAY; Virginia Beach; AKQ; 449905; 36.68 N; 75.93 W; 8'

CHINCOTEAGUE; Accomack; AKQ; 449906; 37.9917 N; 75.2878 W; 5'

CRAIG VALLEY; Craig; RNK; 444002; 37.5219 N; 80.0800 W; 1266'

FORT VALLEY; Shenandoah; LWX; 440402; 38.83 N; 78.40 W; 800'

GREAT DISMAL; Suffolk; AKQ; 449801; 36.61 N; 76.55 W; 12'

HEADQUARTERS; Page; LWX; 440901; 38.67 N; 78.37 W; 1200'

JAMES RIVER; Prince George; AKQ; 446801; 37.25 N; 77.25 W; 50'

LIME KILN ; Bath; RNK; 441801; 37.9864 N; 79.7594 W; 2580'

STONY FORK; Wythe; RNK; 447502; 37.0111 N; 81.1786 W; 2540'

UMHOLT (PEDLAR); Rockbridge; RNK; 441903; 37.7389 N; 79.3361 W; 1120'

WISE; Wise; MRX; 448502; 36.98 N; 82.56 W; 2530'

ASOS Observation Sites

Name; ID; Latitude; Longitude; Elevation

Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport; CHO; 38.139 N; 78.453 W; 639'

Danville Regional Airport; DAN; 36.5742 N; 79.3358 W; 572'

Hanover County Municipal Airport; OFP; 37.7078 N; 77.4364 W; 205'

Lynchburg Regional Airport; LYH; 37.3267 N; 79.2006 W; 938'

Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport; PHF; 37.1319 N; 76.4930 W; 43'

Norfolk International Airport; ORF; 36.8944 N; 76.2017 W; 27'

Reagan National Airport; DCA; 38.852, 77.038 W; 15'

Richmond International Airport; RIC; 37.5050 N; 77.3200 W; 168'

Roanoke Regional Airport; ROA; 37.3314 N; 79.9813 W; 1176'

Shenandoah Vly Regional Airport (Staunton); SHD; 38.264 N; 78.896 W; 1201'

Wakefield Municipal Airport; AKQ; 36.9872 N; 77.0011 W; 113'

Wallops Flight Facility; WAL; 37.9402 N; 75.4664 W; 40'

Washington Dulles International Airport; IAD; 38.945 N; 77.456 W; 316'

AWOS Observation Sites

Name; ID; Latitude; Longitude; Elevation

Accomack County Airport (Melfa); MFV; 37.6469 N; 75.7611 W; 47'

Chesapeake Regional Airport; CPK; 36.6656 N; 76.3207 W; 20'

Culpeper Regional Airport; CJR; 38.5267 N; 77.8589 W; 316'

Davison Army Airfield (Fort Belvoir); DAA; 38.7150 N; 77.1810 W; 74'

Dinwiddie County Airport (Petersburg); PTB; 37.1838 N; 77.5074 W; 193'

Emporia-Greensville Regional Airport; EMV; 36.6869 N; 77.4828 W; 127'

Farmville Regional Airport; FVX; 37.3575 N; 78.4378 W; 417'

Franklin Municipal Airport; FKN; 36.6981 N; 76.9038 W; 41'

Ingalls Field Airport; HSP; 37.9514 N; 79.8342 W; 3792'

Leesburg Executive Airport; JYO; 39.0780 N; 77.5575 W; 389'

Lonesome Pine Airport; LNP; 36.9875 N; 82.5300 W; 2684'

Louisa County Airport; LKU; 38.0098 N; 77.9701 W; 493'

Mecklenburg-Brunswick Regional Airport; AVC; 36.6883 N; 78.0545 W; 442'

Middle Peninsula Regional Airport (West Point); FYJ; 37.5212 N; 76.7647 W; 24'

Manassas Regional Airport; HEF; 38.7214 N; 77.5154 W; 192'

Mountain Empire Airport; MKJ; 36.8947 N; 81.3500 W; 2559'

New River Valley Airport; PSK; 37.1372 N; 806786 W; 2105'

Norfolk Naval Station; NGU; 36.9377 N; 76.2893 W; 15'

Oceana Naval Air Station; NTU; 36.8207 N; 76.0335 W; 22'

Orange County Airport; OMH; 38.2472 N; 78.0456 W; 465'

Quantico Marine Corps Airport; NYG; 38.5018 N; 77.3053 W; 11'

Shannon Airport (Fredericksburg); EZF; 38.2668 N; 77.4492 W; 85'

Stafford Regional Airport; RMN; 38.3981 N; 77.4556 W; 211'

Suffolk Executive Airport; SFQ; 36.6824 N; 76.6019 W; 72'

Tazewell County Airport; 6V3; 37.0636 N; 81.7983 W; 2652'

Twin County Airport; HLX; 36.7661 N; 80.8239 W; 2693'

Virginia Highlands Airport; VJI; 36.6869 N; 82.0336 W; 2087'

Virginia Tech Airport; BCB; 37.2075 N; 80.4083 W; 2132'

Winchester Regional Airport; OKV; 39.1435 N; 78.1444 W; 727'

All Hazards NOAA Weather Radio Transmitters Serving The State of Virginia

For a map of each transmitter reception area, click here.

Location, Call Sign, Frequency, VA Counties Served

Beckley, WV; WXM-71; 162.550 MHz; Tazewell.

Bristol (Tri-Cities), TN; WXK-47; 162.550 MHz; Lee, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Washington, and Wise.

Charlottesville (Covesville/Fan Mountain), VA; KZZ-28; 162.450 MHz; Albemarle, Amelia, Amherst, Appomattox, Augusta, Buckingham, Charlotte, Cumberland, Fluvanna, Goochland, Greene, Louisa, Lunenburg, Madison, Nelson, Nottoway, Orange, Powhatan, Prince Edward, and Spotsylvania.

Gilbert, WV; WXM-75; 162.475 MHz; Buchanan and Dickenson.

Hagerstown (Clear Springs), MD; WXM-42; 162.475 MHz; Clarke, Fauquier, Fredrick, Loudoun, Page, Shenandoah, and Warren.

Heathsville, VA; WXM-57; 162.400 MHz; Accomack, Essex, Gloucester, King and Queen, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex, North Hampton, Richmond, and Westmoreland.

Harlan, KY; WWG-68; 162.450 MHz; Lee and Wise.

Henderson, NC; WNG-586; 162.500 MHz; Brunswick and Mecklenburg.

Hinton (Keeney Mtn.), WV; WXM-72; 162.425 MHz; Alleghany, Bath, Bland, Craig, Giles, and Tazewell.

Lynchburg (Madison Heights), VA; WXL-92; 162.550 MHz; Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Buckingham, Campbell, Charlotte, Halifax, Prince Edward, and Rockbridge.

Manassas (Independence Hill), VA; KHB-36; 162.550 MHz; Clarke, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, King George, Loudoun, Madison, Orange, Prince William, Rappahannock, Spotsylvania, Stafford, and Warren.

Margarettsville NC; WWG-33; 162.450 MHZ; Brunswick, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Isle of Wight, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Southhampton, and Sussex.

Mount Jefferson, Ashe Co., NC; WNG-588; 162.500 MHz; Grayson and Washington.

Moorefield, WV; WXM-73; 162.400 MHz; Augusta, Fredrick, Highland, Page, Rockingham, and Shenandoah.

Norfolk (Driver), VA; KHB-37; 162.550 MHz; Isle of Wight, James City, Surry, and York.

Pikeville, KY; WWG-69; 162.400 MHz; Buchanan, Dickenson, and Wise.

Phelps, KY; WWG-81; 162.500 MHz; Buchanan and Dickenson.

Richmond, VA; WXK-65; 162.475 MHz; Amelia, Charles City, Chesterfield, Cumberland, Fluvanna, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, King William, Louisa, New Kent, Nottoway, Prince Edward, Prince George, and Powhatan.

Roanoke (Poor Mtn), VA; WXL-60; 162.475 MHz; Alleghany, Appomattox, Bedford, Bland, Botetourt, Campbell, Caroll, Craig, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Halifax, Henry, Montgomery, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Pulaski, Roanoke, Rockbridge, and Wythe.

Salisbury, MD; KEC-92; 162.475MHz; Delmarva Peninsula, Accomack.

Winston-Salem, NC; WXL-42; 162.400 MHz; Carroll, Grayson, Henry, Patrick, and Pittsylvania.

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Red Flag Criteria

The following weather criteria must be met, in addition to low fuel moisture:

Ten-hour fuel moistures are observed or expected to be 7 percent or less. This is an essential requirement and should be coordinated with the Fire Management Officer at the Regional USFS office, or the Virginia Interagency Coordination Center. In the event coordination is not possible, the forecaster may, at his or her discretion, use the fuel moisture readings from the NFDRS RAWS.

          -AND- 

Relative humidity is expected to fall below 30 percent at any time over the forecast area and sustained wind of 20 mph or more. The sustained wind will be a two-minute averaged, 20 foot-level wind forecast.

Note: During periods of extended drought or when wildland fires are occurring, modifications to these criteria may be required. Any change will be coordinated through the Virginia Interagency Coordination Center, or with the Fire Burn Analyst (FBAN) and Incident Commander (IC) on an existing large project burn. We recognize there are seasonal vairabilities that may stress live fuels differently, in addition to other weather phenomena (such as, a frontal passage or thunderstorm downburst), that may result in extreme fire behavior and pose a hazard to wildland firefighters.

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Fire Weather Product Examples

Click here for the latest products from:

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Burn Category Table

Ventilation Rate (ft mph) and Associated Burn Category

0 to 33499 = 1

33500 to 44999 = 2

44500 to 59999 = 3

60000 to 111999 = 4

112000 + = 5

Dispersion Tables

Surface Wind (MPH) and Associated Dispersion Category

Near Calm = Stagnant

2 - 4 MPH = Very Poor

6 - 8 MPH = Poor

9 - 12 MPH = Fair

13 MPH + = Good

Lavdas Dispersion Index

1 - 6 = Very Poor

7 - 12 = Poor

13 - 20 = Generally Poor

21 - 40 = Fair

41 - 60 = Generally Good

61 - 100 = Good

100+ = Very Good

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Lightning Activity Level

LAL Categories

1: No Thunderstorms.

2: Cumulus clouds are common, but only a few reach the towering cumulus stage. A single thunderstorm must be confirmed in the rating area. The clouds mostly produce virga, but light rain will occasionally reach the ground.

3: Cumulus clouds are common. Swelling and towering cumulus cover less than 2/10ths of the sky. Thunderstorms are few, but two or three must occur within the observation area. Light to moderate rain will reach the ground, and lightning is infrequent.

4: Swelling cumulus and towering cumulus cover 2/10ths to 3/10ths of the sky. Thunderstorms are scattered, but more than three must occur within the observation area. Moderate rain is commonly produced, and lightning is frequent.

5: Towering cumulus and thunderstorms are numerous, they cover more than 3/10ths of the sky and occasionally obscure it. Rain is moderate to heavy, and lightning is frequent and intense.

6: Same as #3, but dry (little or no rain reaching the ground). (TOP)

Lightning Strokes

1: 0/min., 0/5 min., 0/15 min.

2: 1/min., 1-5/5 min., 1-8/15 min.

3: 1-2/min., 6-10/5 min., 9-15/15 min.

4: 2-3/min., 11-15/5 min., 16-25/15 min.

5: 3/min., 15/5 min., 25/15 min.

6: 1-2/min., 6-10/5 min., 9-15/15 min.

FWF Update Criteria

Standard Air Temperature: +/- 5 degrees F.

Relative Humidity: +/- 5%.

Wind Speed and Direction at 20 ft AGL: +/- 5 mph and/or 45 degrees.

Precipitation POP, duration and amount: same as for public zones.

Transports Winds: +/- 5 mph and/or 45 degrees.

Mixing Height: +/- 300 m or 984 ft.

Dispersion: One category of change.

Note: Morning upper air soundings from nearby weather balloon sites should be examined for update criteria.

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Record of Changes to the AOP

February 2008:

Noted in Services Provided by the National Weather Service under Fire Weather Seasons, that NWS Morristown also issues afternoon fire weather forecasts upon request during periods of prolonged drought.

New Fire Weather Program Leader at Sterling: Rick Winther

The fire management position for the National Parks is vacant. Bobby Miller is acting FMO until this position is filled.

Changed signatory for Fish & Wildlife Service : Timothy Craig

Changed the frequency of the Mount Jefferson Weather Radio to 162.500 MHz.

Under “Natural Resource Agency Responsibilities,” removed the remarks about the upcoming automation of the NFDRS observations, referencing the change from R to O within WIMS. Deadline for implementation was not met, and not sure when this change will occur.