Contact: Robert Chartuk FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
5/18/98
NOAA Weather Radio 2000, a new system that will allow forecasters to broadcast weather information faster and more effectively, is coming to the National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington Forecast Office in early June.
"NOAA Weather Radio 2000 will allow us to send weather statements and warnings straight from the forecaster and out over the airways saving 5 to 10 minutes or more," said Jim Travers, meteorologist in charge of the forecast office, one of the first in the nation to receive the new system.
"As soon as we issue a weather product, it will be broadcast to the public," Travers said. "And as soon as the product expires, it will be gone. This means that the broadcast will always be fresh."
A key aspect of the automated system is a reduction in the time forecasters need to spend broadcasting weather information. "The new system will increase the time our meteorologists can spend at the forecast desk monitoring the weather and developing watches and warnings," Travers noted.
Developed as part of the weather service's nationwide modernization program, NOAA Weather Radio 2000 will feed directly into the Specific Area Message Encoder system which enables those with weather radios with SAME capability to receive warnings specific to their areas, Travers explained. "SAME radios have a tone alert feature which turns on automatically to alert people of severe weather in their specific area and will not over-warn by receiving warnings for other counties," the meteorologist said.
"We strongly recommend that all homes, schools, churches, businesses, and other places where people gather have a tone-alert weather radio," Travers said. "Time after time, advanced notice of severe weather such as thunderstorms, flash floods, and tornadoes has proven to be a life saver."
NOAA Weather Radio 2000, which will also tie into local Emergency Alert Systems, is designed to reduce human error by eliminating manual programming. In addition, the system will allow the weather service to program specific products to air at specific times.
"If you are interested in the River Forecast and Summary, for example, you will know exactly when to tune in," Travers said. "This will eliminate the uncertainty of the old system and will allow us to publish a broadcast schedule." Significant warning information, however, will always have a number one priority on NOAA Weather Radio and override normal programming.
Currently, the Baltimore/Washington office broadcasts weather information over four radio transmitters. With the NOAA Weather Radio 2000 and partnerships with Maryland Emergency Management Agency and the Virginia Department of Emergency Services, the office is expanding to six transmitters, adding new sites at Frostburg, Md., and Charlottesville, Va.
"NOAA Weather Radio 2000 will allow us to individualize the programming for all of our transmitters, including separate broadcasts and warning alerts for the Hagerstown (Md.) and Moorefield (W.V.) transmitters," said Barbara McNaught Watson, warning coordination meteorologist for the Baltimore/Washington office. "This feature will enable us to provide more personalized service to our coverage area."
The new system uses an automated computer voice that will be a noticeable change from current weather radio broadcasts and, as Travers noted, "may take some time getting used to, especially for people who have grown accustomed to hearing our voices over the radio and have come to know us." With the rapid advancement in technology today, Travers continued, NWS already has plans for improving the voice quality on the NOAA Weather Radio 2000.
"We ask our listeners to help support us with comments and ideas to make the new system a timely and accurate source of weather information that you can trust," Watson said. "We will be implementing it slowly, beginning with the hourly observations and then adding products and programming." Comments can be e-mailed to Barbara McNaught Watson at: barbara.mcnaught@noaa.gov