Effective April 5, 2022, NWS Corpus Christi will split the two zones that cover the bays and waterways between Baffin Bay and Matagorda Bay into four forecast zones. These new zones will provide added geographic specificity to help marine interests identify which bays and inland waterways are of most concern during hazardous weather.
The current configuration for the bays and waterways of the Middle Texas Coast is shown below. It involves Baffin Bay, Nueces and Corpus Christi Bays, and the Upper Laguna Madre grouped into one marine forecast zone (GMZ230) and Copano Bay, Aransas Bay, and San Antonio Bay grouped into another marine forecast zone (GMZ235).
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Image 1. Current marine zones for the bays and waterways between Baffin Bay and Matagorda Bay.
To provide more geographic specificity, WFO Corpus Christi will split GMZ230 into two forecast zones and GMZ235 into two forecast zones. Zones match the tropical cyclone breakpoints, except for the divider between GMZ231 and GMZ232. If the Padre Island National Seashore (PINS) breakpoint were used, tropical cyclone products issued for the Kleberg Islands would result in both GMZ231 and GMZ232 requiring tropical headlines. Using a dividing point different than the PINS breakpoint minimizes the potential for a larger than necessary area being highlighted for tropical cyclone hazards.
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Image 2. Proposed marine zone changes for the bays and waterways between Baffin and Matagorda Bay.
Changes in effect March 31, 2022.
The new configuration will allow for WFO Corpus Christi to provide more geographic specificity to mariners and marine partners when highlighting weather hazards, including severe thunderstorms and marine fog.
These zone changes require partners and users to take appropriate action to receive the new zone products using the Universal Geographic Code (UGC) zone code format listed in Table 1. Products affected by this change are listed in Table 2.
| Current Marine Zone Name / Current UGC | New Marine Zone Name / New UGC |
|---|---|
| Bays and Waterways from Baffin Bay to Port Aransas (GMZ230) | Baffin Bay and Upper Laguna Madre (GMZ231) |
| Corpus Christi and Nueces Bays (GMZ232) | |
| Bays and Waterways from Port Aransas to Port O'Connor (GMZ235) | Copano, Aransas, and Redfish Bays (GMZ236) |
| San Antonio, Mesquite, and Espiritu Santo Bays (GMZ237) |
| Product Name | WMO Header | AWIPS ID |
|---|---|---|
| Tsunami Message | WEXX PAAQ | TSUAT1 |
| Marine Weather Message | WHUS74 KCRP | MWWCRP |
| Special Marine Warning | WHUS54 KCRP | SMWCRP |
| Marine Weather Statement | FZUS74 KCRP | MWSCRP |
| Coastal Waters Forecast | FZUS54 KCRP | CWFCRP |
| Area Forecast Discussion | FXUS64 KCRP | AFDCRP |
| Hazardous Weather Outlook | FLUS44 KCRP | HWOCRP |
| Watch County Notification | WWUS64 KCRP | WCNCRP |
If you have any questions or comments about this change, please contact:
Melissa Huffman
Warning Coordination Meteorologist
National Weather Service - Corpus Christi, TX
(361) 289-0959 x 223
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