Requesting Spot Forecasts
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Spot Forecast Info Page
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NWS Austin/San Antonio
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Spot forecasts are site-specific weather forecasts
in support of wildfire suppression and natural resource management. These
forecasts aid the land management and fire control agencies in protecting
life and property during wildland fires, hazardous fuels reduction, and
rehabilitation and restoration of natural resources. Spot forecasts may
also be issued for hazardous materials incidents and other threats to public
safety.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What
methods are available for making a spot forecast?
Nearly
all spot forecast requests are sent to the National Weather Service through a
handy internet program called NWS Spot. Instructions on how to use this
program is available further down this page.
Those
without internet access may also fax a form titled "Fire Weather Special
Forecast Request" or otherwise known as "WS Form D-1".
Blank copies of WS Form D-1 can be found on the internet or can be requested
from the Austin/San Antonio NWS Office.
As
a final resort, specific weather information can also be requested over the
phone from NWS forecasters. This means of communication will be
inefficient for those requesting a large amount of weather information.
Who can use a spot forecast?
When used for prescribed burns, spot forecasts
must be requested with cooperation from a federal agency. However,
for the purpose of controlling wildfires, anyone can
request this site-specific weather support. Once completed, spot forecasts
requested through NWS Spot (for both wildfire and non-wildfire purposes) will become
available to anyone with internet access.
How long does it take for the NWS to
respond to a spot forecast request?
Spot forecasts are generally issued within
30 minutes of the request. If the forecast is not fulfilled within
45 minutes of the request time, please call the Austin/San Antonio NWS
Office.
When can spot forecast requests be sent?
Spot forecasts can be requested at any
time of day, 365 days a year. However, non-wildfire requests should
be sent within 12 hours of the prescribed burn time. Prescribed burn
forecast requests are handled most efficiently when the requests are sent
between 630 and 730 am or between 830 and 11 am local time.
HOW TO USE NWS SPOT
Requesting spot forecasts has never been
easier thanks to a program called NWS Spot. Spot forecasts for South
Central Texas are requested and accessed using the following website address:
http://spot.nws.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/spot/spotmon?site=ewx
To request and monitor spot forecasts, simply
click the above web link which opens a page like the image in figure 1.
Figure
1
Monitoring
Spot Forecasts
This
NWS Spot request and monitor page is used for submitting new requests and also
for monitoring the status of all other requests for the current day. The
page will automatically refresh once a minute to show any changes in
status.
Included
on the request and monitor page are a "Submit a New Request" link, arrow buttons next to the
date for viewing of spot requests from other days, and a "CALENDAR"
link for moving to other days more quickly.
Requests
can be referenced by clicking on either the colored symbols on the map or any of
the links in the table. The map symbols show both the location
of the burns and the status of the spot forecast requests. Green squares
indicate requests that are still pending. Purple squares indicate burns
where questions have been asked. Red squares indicate burns where the forecast
has been completed.
Referencing
Specific Spot Forecasts
Each request has its own page containing maps, information
about the request and, eventually, the forecast. Sensitive information
about the request (such as phone numbers, names of contact persons, and
the exact location of the burn) are NOT visible by everyone - but only
on the computer that made the original request and NWS computers.
When
referencing a particular spot forecast page, there are additional actions that
one can take. For example, "Back to Spot
List" returns to the monitor page. Using the computer that
made the original request, one has the option to "Change Request" to change
the details of the request, or "Delete Request" to delete the request.
There
is also an option to "Copy Info to New
Spot Request". This is helpful for burns that last over several days.
Each
request page will also have a template allowing the individual making the
request to submit feedback. Feedback indicating
unrepresentative conditions is critical input which has a direct impact on the
forecast accuracy of future forecasts. From the
main spot forecast page, one has the ability to switch to a similar screen
for days other than today. One can use this to send us feedback on earlier
forecasts, or to copy the information from one request to a new request
for today.
Submitting
a New Request
Once
clicking the "Submit a New Request" link, information is entered on a web-based form
as shown in figure 2.
Figure
2
After passing through some basic consistency checks, the NWS
is notified of a new request and a new webpage is created for this
burn. For information on how to fill out this automated form, skip
down to the "Spot Request Form" section.
Once the request is submitted, it is best to
leave the main NWS Spot request and monitor page window open. Since this main
page is automatically updated every minute, the forecast will be accessible within a minute of it being issued.
To view the webpage for any burn or wildfire, click either on the name of the burn in
the listing, or on the map symbol for the burn. If NWS forecasters notice any errors in
the request, they will either call or send a question that will show up on this page.
Answering questions or making other changes to a request from this webpage can ONLY
be done from the computer that made the original request.
When the forecast is complete, anyone can view
the forecast and print copies. Feedback and questions can either be
submitted through the feedback template (see above) or by phone. Check the
local or statewide operating plans for NWS phone numbers.
Spot Request Form
The first time
a spot request is sent from a particular computer,
almost all the boxes will be empty. After that, many of the boxes will
be filled in with information that shouldn't change very much from one
request to another (such as names and phone numbers).
The elements highlighted in red are required
for the NWS to accept the spot forecast request. While the other items may not be
necessary, they enhance our ability to make an accurate and
useful forecast. The form is broken down into eight sections, each
discussed briefly below.
Project Name
Section
www.weather.gov
