National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Widespread Showers in the Eastern US; Severe Thunderstorms in the Plains; Heatwave in the Desert Southwest

Widespread showers and thunderstorms across much of the central and eastern U.S. will produce areas of excessive rainfall, especially in the southern Mid-Atlantic states. Scattered severe thunderstorms are expected from Montana into portions of the central/southern Plains this weekend. A heatwave will build in the Desert Southwest, in parts of Arizona, southeastern California, and southern Nevada. Read More >

Each six-digit Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) Location Code "PSSCCC" uniquely identifies a specific geographic area. The "P" allows for subdividing or partitioning the area defined by the "CCC" into smaller parts in the case of a very large or uniquely shaped area, or because of widely varying climate, population, or geographic features. The area defined by the "CCC" can be divided into 2 to 9 partitions. Area partitions may be of unequal size and when combined will cover the entire "CCC" area without overlap.

Illustration of P = 1-9

Number and descriptive partition labeling

In actual use, partitions may be of unequal size and fewer than 9 partitions may used.

1
Northwest
2
North
3
Northeast
4
West
5
Central
6
East
7
Southwest
8
South
9
Southeast

To program a receiver to alert for SAME alerts intended for a portion of a county or for the entire county, program the "P" digit in PSSCCC as shown specifically on the WFO pages listed at Offices using Partial County Alerting.

Illustration of P = Zero

Defined as "All or unspecified portions"

`
1
Northwest
2
North
3
Northeast
4
West
0
All or unspecified portions
5
Central
< /td>
6
East
7
Southwest
8
South
9
Southeast

To program a receiver to alert for all SAME alerts for a county, program the "P" digit in PSSCCC as zero "0".

Some examples of partitioned county patterns
(in 2 parts) (in 3 parts) (in 4 parts)
County SAME # County SAME # County SAME #
Apple-NW 1SSCCC Juice-N 2SSCCC Pear-NW 1SSCCC
Apple-SE 9SSCCC Juice-Cen 5SSCCC Pear-NE 3SSCCC
Raisin-N 2SSCCC Juice-S 8SSCCC Pear-SW 7SSCCC
Raisin-S 8SSCCC Grape-W 4SSCCC Pear-SE 9SSCCC
Banana-W 4SSCCC Grape-Cen 5SSCCC Broccoli-NW 1SSCCC
Banana-E 6SSCCC Grape-E 6SSCCC Broccoli-W 4SSCCC
Corn-NE 3SSCCC Nut-NE 3SSCCC Broccoli-SW 7SSCCC
Corn-SW 7SSCCC Nut-Cen 5SSCCC Broccoli-E 6SSCCC
Rice-NW 1SSCCC Nut-SW 7SSCCC Cauliflower-N 2SSCCC
Rice-SE 9SSCCC Pea-NW 1SSCCC Cauliflower-SW 7SSCCC
Beet-NE 3SSCCC Pea-Cen 5SSCCC Cauliflower-S 8SSCCC
Beet-SW 7SSCCC Pea-SE 9SSCCC Cauliflower-SE 9SSCCC
(in 2 parts) (in 3 parts) (in 4 parts)
County SAME # County SAME # County SAME #
Carrot-W 4SSCCC Okra-NW 1SSCCC Artichoke-NW 1SSCCC
Carrot-N 2SSCCC Okra-N 2SSCCC Artichoke-N 2SSCCC
Carrot-Cen 5SSCCC Okra-NE 3SSCCC Artichoke-NE 3SSCCC
Carrot-S 8SSCCC Okra-SW 7SSCCC Artichoke-W 4SSCCC
Carrot-E 6SSCCC Okra-S 8SSCCC Artichoke-Cen 5SSCCC
Okra-SE 9SSCCC Artichoke-E 6SSCCC
Artichoke-S 8SSCCC

`