
A rare March heat wave is ongoing with much above-normal temperatures over the Southwest U.S. through this weekend. Periods of critical fire weather will persist from the central Rockies to the central and southern Plains through the weekend as gusty winds and low relative humidity continue. A Kona low will continue to bring several rounds of moderate to heavy rainfall to Hawaii through Sunday. Read More >
NWS Telecommunications Gateway
National Program
Instructions for the proper application of the reference time designator
1. The designator specified in this table should be used to the greatest extent possible to indicate the reference time of data contained within the text of the bulletin.
2. When the table does not contain a suitable designator for the reference time, use "Z" and obtain the forecast hour from the GRIB Product Definition Section.
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| A | Analysis (00 hour) | N | 18 hours forecast |
| B | 1 hour forecast | O | 24 hours forecast |
| C | 2 hours forecast | P | 30 hours forecast |
| D | 3 hours forecasts | Q | 36 hours forecast |
| E | 4 hours forecast | R | 42 hours forecast |
| F | 5 hours forecast | S | 48 hours forecast (2 days) |
| G | 6 hours forecast | T | 60 hours forecast |
| H | 7 hours forecast | U | 72 hours forecast (3 days) |
| I | 8 hours forecast | V | 84 hours forecast |
| J | 9 hours forecast | W | 96 hours forecast (4 days) |
| K | 10 hours forecast | X | 108 days forecast |
| L | 11 hours forecast | Y | 120 hours forecast (5 days) |
| M | 12 hours forecast | Z | Time contained in PDS |
US Dept of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Weather Service
NWS Telecommunications Gateway
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College Park, MD 20740
(301)-683-1518
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