Public Statement: Ending SIM replacing with Tropical Weather Discussion

PNSGUM

Public Information Statement 21-02

National Weather Service Headquarters Silver Spring MD

300 PM ChST 23 WED 2021

To: Subscribers:

-NOAA Weather Wire Service

-Emergency Managers Weather Information Network

-NOAAPort

Other NWS Partners and NWS Employees

From: Allison Allen, Chief

Marine, Tropical and Tsunami Services Branch

Subject: Soliciting Comments through July 31, 2021 on Discontinuing the Satellite-Interpretation Message (SIM) from Weather Forecast Office Guam and replacing it with the Tropical Weather Discussion (TWD)

The NWS is accepting public comments until July 31, 2021, on a proposal to discontinue the Satellite Interpretation Message (SIM) text product produced by the NWS Weather Forecast Office (WFO) Guam. This product contains a description of synoptic weather features, significant weather areas, and significant cloud and meteorological features as determined by weather satellite imagery and other observational data. The product primarily was intended to provide information to weather offices in the western North Pacific Ocean that were previously unable to receive satellite imagery.

The NWS is proposing to terminate the SIM product and replace it with a Tropical Weather Discussion (TWD) product which can provide a more comprehensive assessment of hazards to users in the western North Pacific. The TWD product would routinely provide text information on tropical cyclones, tropical waves/disturbances, the location of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and associated convection along it, as well as information about other areas of significant convection.

You can find the most recent SIM here:

https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?issuedby=GUM&product=SIM&site=nws&format=txt

A product description and example of the Tropical Weather Discussion and the latest product are found at:

https://nws.weather.gov/products/PDD/TropicalWeatherDiscussion.pdf

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIATWDAT.shtml

An example/sample of what a Tropical Weather Discussion will look like from Guam can be found here:

https://www.weather.gov/media/notification/ref/Guam_TWD_sample.pdf

The WFO Guam area of responsibility is defined here:

https://www.weather.gov/gum/AOR

If feedback supports this change, the NWS will send a Service Change Notice before terminating the SIM product and implementing the TWD for WFO Guam. Please send your feedback to:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QYXFGYM

If you have questions or require more information, please contact:

Joel Cline

NWS Tropical Services Program Coordinator

Marine, Tropical, and Tsunami Branch

Silver Spring, MD 20910

Tropical.Program@noaa.gov

National Service Change Notices are online at:

https://www.weather.gov/notification/

M.Aydlett