National Weather Service Product Requirements from An AFSS Perspective

List of NWS Hazardous Weather Products Used by TIBS-HIWAS The StarCaster TIBS-HIWAS System is required to process, decode and broadcast the following NWS weather products: a. Domestic SIGMETs (WS) b. Convective SIGMETs (WST) c. AIRMETs (WA) d. Severe Weather Watch Alert Messages (AWW) e. Center Weather Advisories (CWA) f. Urgent Pilot Reports (UUA) g. Synopsis (extracted from FA)

Raw Weather Text WSUS32 KKCI SIGC MKCC WST CONVECTIVE SIGMET 1C VALID UNTIL 0255Z TX NM FROM 30S TXO-LBB-90SSE MRF-50SW MRF-ELP-30S TXO AREA TS MOV FROM 21020KT. TOPS ABV FL450. Decoded Version of Weather Text CONVECTIVE SIGMET 1 CHARLIE, VALID UNTIL ZULU. FROM 30 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF TEXICO TO LUBBOCK INTERNATIONAL TO 90 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF MARFA TO 50 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHWEST OF MARFA TO EL PASO TO 30 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF TEXICO AREA OFAREA OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING FROM 210 DEGREES 20 KNOTS. TOPS ABOVE FLIGHT LEVEL 450.

Problems with duplicate or Ambiguous Abbreviations

quiz # 1 – OVR

In this case the context is not sufficient and correct expansion of the abbreviation cannot be achieved. Raw Text: OVR OVR Decoded Text #1: OVER OMAHA Decoded Text #2: OVER OVER Decoded Text #1: OMAHA OMAHA Decoded Text #2: OMAHA OVER As illustrated, in this case, it is unclear whether the abbreviation “OVR” should be expanded as “OMAHA” or “OVER”. The current decoding rules of our TIBS-HIWAS System will decode this example as shown in Decoded Text #1 above. However, this may not always be the correct decoding.

quiz # 2 – LO PRES OVR LO WL MOV SWRD.

The correct decoding of the ambiguous abbreviations shown in the previous slide is highly dependent on the context in which each abbreviation is found. Raw Text: LO PRES OVR LO WL MOV SWRD. Decoded Text: LOW PRESSURE OVER LAKE ONTARIO WILL MOVE SOUTHWARD. In this example, the abbreviation “LO” expands as “LOW” before the word “PRESSURE”. Otherwise, it expands as “LAKE ONTARIO”. In this case, the abbreviation can be correctly expanded based on context. Notice the use of “OVR” again – our rule would always say over, not OMAHA!

quiz # 3 – TS ACT OVR NE MO IA.

In this case, however, the context is not sufficient and correct expansion of the abbreviation cannot be achieved. Raw Text: TS ACT OVR NE MO IA Decoded Text #1: THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY OVER NEBRASKA MISSOURI IOWA Decoded Text #2: THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY OVER NORTHEAST MISSOURI IOWA As illustrated, in this case, it is unclear whether the abbreviation “NE” should be expanded as “NEBRASKA” or “NORTHEAST”. The current decoding rules of our TIBS-HIWAS System will decode this example as shown in Decoded Text #1 above. Notice the use of “OVR” again – even tho’ OMAHA is in NEBRASKA, our rule would always say “over”, not OMAHA!

ISSUE Based on the information provided above, We predict that a small percentage of NWS weather products will slip past our automation and not be correctly decoded due to the use of ambiguous abbreviations. As a result, some of the TIBS and HIWAS broadcasts may contain ambiguous or erroneous information. Recommendation Recommended changes are shown on the following slides.

1. AIR AIR or BELLAIRE AIR = AIR KAIR = BELLAIRE 2. ACT ACTIVITY or WACO ACT = ACTIVITY KACT = WACO 3. ELY ELY or EASTERLY ELY = ELY ERLY = EASTERLY 4. END END or VANCE AIR FORCE BASE END = END KEND = VANCE AIR FORCE BASE 5. FAR FAR or FARGO FAR = FAR KFAR = FARGO 6. HI HIGH or HAWAII High = HIGH HI = HAWAII

7.IN IN INDIANA or INCH or INCHES IN = IN IND = INDIANA INCH = INCH INCHES = INCHES 8. LO LOW orLAKE ONTARIO LO = LOW LKO = LAKE ONTARIO 9.MOD MODERATE orMODESTO MOD = MODERATE KMOD = MODESTO 10. NE NORTHEAST orNEBRASKA NE = NORTHEAST NEB = NEBRASKA

11. OR OR or OREGON OR = OR ORE = OREGON 12. OVR OVER or OMAHA OVR = OVER KOVR = OMAHA 13. VRB VARIABLE or VERO BEACH VRB = VARIABLE KVRB = VERO BEACH 14. WI WITHIN or WISCONSIN WI = WITHIN WIS = WISCONSIN 15. WV WAVE or WEST VIRGINIA WV = WAVE WVA = WEST VIRGINIA

RECOMMENDATIONS The National Weather Service, Lockheed Martin, and the Federal Aviation Administration work together in a collaborative effort to review, analyze, develop and implement processes and procedures to eliminate duplicate and/or ambiguous acronyms, as much as possible, with a vision of the future for automated weather systems.

Problems with forecasters signing Their work…..`

:28:49 FAUS21 KZJX ZJX1 CWA ZJX CWA 101 VALID UNTIL FROM 75WSW CEW-40NW CEW-20N ABY-30SE OMN-10SW PIE- 75SW TLH-75WSW CEWAREA LIFR CIGS BLW 005 AND VIS BLW 1/2SM IN FG. CONDSCONTG THRU 1345Z.....PR... Notice that the CWSO forecaster proudly initialed his work.

:28:49 FAUS21 KZJX ZJX1 CWA ZJX CWA 101 VALID UNTIL FROM 75WSW CEW-40NW CEW-20N ABY-30SE OMN-10SW PIE-75SW TLH-75WSW CEWAREA LIFR CIGS BLW 005 AND VIS BLW 1/2SM IN FG. CONDSCONTG THRU 1345Z.....PR... THIS IS WHAT THE AUTOMATED SYSTEM BROADCASTED – JACKSONVILLE CENTER WEATHER ADVISORY+ 1 01~, VALID UNTIL 13 45Z#. FROM 75 NAUTICAL MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF CRESTVIEW TO 40 NAUTICAL MILES NORTHWEST OF CRESTVIEW TO 20 NAUTICAL MILES NORTH OF ALBANY TO 30 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHEAST OF ORMOND BEACH TO 10 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHWEST OF ST PETERSBURG TO 75 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHWEST OF TALLAHASSEE TO 75 NAUTICAL MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF CRESTVIEW AREA LOW IFR CEILINGS BELOW 500~ AND VISIBILITY BELOW 1 / 2 MILES IN FOG#. CONDITIONS CONTINUING THROUGH 13 45Z#. PUERTO RICO#.

:48:44 FAUS21 KZJX ZJX1 CWA ZJX CWA 102 VALID UNTIL FROM 75WSW CEW-40NW CEW-20N ABY-30SE OMN-10SW PIE-75SW TLH-75WSW CEWAREA LIFR CIGS BLW 005 AND VIS BLW 1/2SM IN FG. CONDSSLOWLY IMPRG THRU 1545Z.....PR... 2 ND EXAMPLE - JACKSONVILLE CENTER WEATHER ADVISORY+ 1 02~, VALID UNTIL 15 45Z#. FROM 75 NAUTICAL MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF CRESTVIEW TO 40 NAUTICAL MILES NORTHWEST OF CRESTVIEW TO 20 NAUTICAL MILES NORTH OF ALBANY TO 30 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHEAST OF ORMOND BEACH TO 10 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHWEST OF ST PETERSBURG TO 75 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHWEST OF TALLAHASSEE TO 75 NAUTICAL MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF CRESTVIEW AREA LOW IFR CEILINGS BELOW 500~ AND VISIBILITY BELOW 1 / 2 MILES IN FOG#. CONDITIONS SLOWLY IMPROVING THROUGH 15 45Z#. PUERTO RICO#.

RECOMMENDATIONS The National Weather Service, Lockheed Martin, and the Federal Aviation Administration continue to work together in a collaborative effort to identify, formulate and develop textual weather products with a vision to the future that mitigate potential problems for automated weather systems.

Fred Gibbs Operations Subject Matter Expert Washington Consulting Group