1. Common Alerting Protocol and NWSchat Robert Bunge Internet Dissemination Officer January 15, 2009 Robert.Bunge@noaa.gov 301-713-1381 x140

2. 2 NWSChat Status NWSChat: IEMChat follow up IM between NWS/Gov’t/Electronic Media –Very challenging policy development –Challenging IT environment On track for Feb. 2 IOC –IEMChat shutdown at IOC –1900 accounts/50-60 new per day –Some WFO’s in parallel ops http://nwschat.weather.gov/

3. 3 CAP Status Testing advanced CAP 1.1 products on web –Weekly meetings with partners over several months provided much guidance –Good prototype for NWS CAP profile development –Good prototype/spring board for AWIPS produced CAP http://www.weather.gov/alerts (V 1.0) http://www.weather.gov/alerts-beta/ (V 1.1)

4. 4 Migration to CAP 1.1 CAP 1.1 feeds feature: –more detailed pre-parsing of NWS products –ATOM-based index feeds –Use of Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) to describe how files encoded in the XML standard are to be formatted or transformed for display by a web browser Experimental service since mid-2008 Public comment period through Dec. 1, 2008 to be extended for additional input CAP 1.1 feeds to be operational and replace current CAP 1.0 feeds by December 2009 http://www.weather.gov/alerts-beta/

5. 5 CAP Activities CAP Standard Involvement –OASIS Membership Technical Committee voting member CAP profile sub-committee voting member –DHS/FEMA & EAS CAP profile efforts NWS interest in possible test of CAP over XMPP –Lightweight push using a widely accepted standard

6. CAP Related Changes Herb White Dissemination Services Manager Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services Herbert.White@noaa.gov 301-713-0090 x146

7. 7 HazCollect CAP is created by NWS HazCollect using: –FEMA authentication and server frontend –non-weather emergency messages (NWEM) input directly by local, state, and Federal civil authorities –NOAA/NWS infrastructure for dissemination NWEM messages included in NWS data feeds; will transition current parsing technique to direct aggregation in FY10 NWEM messages also displayed on NWS web page and broadcast on NOAA Weather Radio for relay to the Emergency Alert System (EAS)

8. 8 Current Activities Call-to-Action Markers in existing NWS Watch/Warning/Advisory/Follow-up Statements –Enables parsing for discreet CAP Description and Instruction elements –Partner coordination and input in early 2008 resulted in improved markers –Phased implementation announced in 8/5/08 SCN beginning 2/11/09 through approximately 5/15/09 –Info and sample products at http://www.weather.gov/os/ctamarker/

9. 9 CTA Marker Example WHUS76 KSEW 062143 MWWSEW URGENT - MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA 143 PM PST TUE JAN 6 2009 PZZ130-070545- /O.UPG.KSEW.SC.Y.0211.000000T0000Z-090107T1600Z/ /O.EXA.KSEW.GL.W.0002.000000T0000Z-090107T1600Z/ WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 143 PM PST TUE JAN 6 2009...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM PST WEDNESDAY... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A GALE WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM PST WEDNESDAY. THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A GALE WARNING MEANS WINDS OF 34 TO 47 KNOTS ARE IMMINENT OR OCCURING. OPERATING A VESSEL IN GALE CONDITIONS REQUIRES EXPERIENCE AND PROPERLY EQUIPPED VESSELS. IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT MARINERS WITHOUT THE PROPER EXPERIENCE SEEK SAFE HARBOR PRIOR TO THE ONSET OF GALE CONDITIONS. && $$

10. 10 Timeline Short term (3-6 months) –Continue current enhancement of web-based CAP feeds –Add discreet Instruction element Medium term (9-15 months) –Centrally generate CAP messages with WMO “envelope” to be broadcast in parallel with current WMO-formatted products over NOAAPORT and NWWS –Better quality control –Transition from web production of CAP, but continue feeds Long term (2-4 years) –Native CAP generated by Next Generation Warning Tool with mixed case, expanded character set, and fully populated CAP elements –Generate WMO-formatted products from CAP messages –Disseminate both

11. 11 Partner Feedback http://nwschat.weather.gov/ http://www.weather.gov/alerts-beta/ http://www.weather.gov/os/hazcollect/ http://www.weather.gov/os/ctamarker/ Any Questions or Comments? Robert.Bunge@noaa.gov Herbert.White@noaa.gov