PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 600 AM CDT THU MAY 25 2006 ...HURRICANE FORECASTS... PART OF THE MISSION OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (NWS) TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER IS TO SAVE LIVES AND PROTECT PROPERTY BY ISSUING WATCHES...WARNINGS...FORECASTS AND ANALYSES OF HAZARDOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS IN THE TROPICS. THIS SECTION PROVIDES INFORMATION ABOUT THE ROLES OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING HURRICANE INFORMATION TO EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND DECISION MAKERS. THE TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER IS COMPRISED OF THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER...THE TROPICAL ANALYSIS AND FORECAST BRANCH AND THE TECHNICAL SUPPORT BRANCH. DURING HURRICANE SEASON...THE LATTER TWO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THE HURRICANE CENTER. IN HURRICANE-PRONE AREAS...LOCAL NWS WEATHER FORECAST OFFICES ARE ALSO IMPORTANT PARTICIPANTS IN THE FORECAST PROCESS. EACH HAS A ROLE IN THE FORECAST PROCESS THAT MUST BE CLOSELY COORDINATED. THEIR ACTIVITIES ARE SUMMARIZED BELOW. OBSERVATION... OBSERVATIONS INCLUDING SATELLITES...BUOYS...RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT AND RADAR ARE THE BASIS FOR ALL FORECAST AND WARNING PRODUCTS. QUALITY...QUANTITY AND TIMELINESS OF REMOTE SENSING OBSERVATIONS IS CRITICAL FOR ACCURATE AND TIMELY FORECASTS AND WARNINGS. ANALYSIS... THE VARIOUS OBSERVATIONS ARE CHECKED FOR QUALITY...ANALYZED AND PUT INTO A SERIES OF COMPUTER MODELS. MODEL GUIDANCE AND INTERPRETATION... THE COMPUTER MODELS TAKE IN THE OBSERVATIONS AND PERFORM MILLIONS OF CALCULATIONS TO GENERATE PREDICTIONS OF HURRICANE BEHAVIOR AND THE GENERAL CONDITIONS OF THE ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH THE HURRICANE IS EMBEDDED. THE MODEL RESULTS ARE PACKAGED AS GUIDANCE TO THE NATIONAL CENTERS AND LOCAL OFFICES AND FOR EVALUATION AND USE IN THE NWS FORECAST AND WARNING PROCESS. COORDINATION WITHIN THE NWS... FORECASTS AND WARNINGS ARE COORDINATED BETWEEN THE NATIONAL CENTERS AND LOCAL FORECAST OFFICES TO PROVIDE CONSISTENCY WHICH IS CRITICAL DURING SEVERE WEATHER EPISODES. PRODUCT GENERATION... ONCE THE COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION PROCESS REACHES GROUP CONSENSUS...THE ISSUING OFFICES GENERATE FORECAST AND WARNING PRODUCTS FOR RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC. PRODUCT DISSEMINATION... TIMELY AND RELIABLE DISSEMINATION OF FORECASTS AND WARNINGS IS CRITICAL TO THE PROTECTION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY. COORDINATION WITH CUSTOMERS... THE HURRICANE CENTER AND THE NWS FORECAST OFFICES WORK WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE FORECAST AND WARNING PRODUCTS ISSUED WERE USEFUL AND HOW THEY CAN PROVIDE EVEN BETTER SERVICE IN THE FUTURE. WATCH VERSUS WARNING - KNOW THE DIFFERENCE A HURRICANE WATCH ISSUED FOR YOUR PART OF THE COAST INDICATES THE POSSIBILITY THAT YOU COULD EXPERIENCE HURRICANE CONDITIONS WITHIN 36 HOURS. THIS WATCH SHOULD TRIGGER YOUR FAMILYS DISASTER PLAN AND PROTECTIVE MEASURES SHOULD BE INITIATED...ESPECIALLY THOSE ACTIONS THAT REQUIRE EXTRA TIME SUCH AS SECURING A BOAT...LEAVING A BARRIER ISLAND...ETC. A HURRICANE WARNING ISSUED FOR YOUR PART OF THE COAST INDICATES THAT SUSTAINED WINDS OF AT LEAST 74 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITHIN 24 HOURS OR LESS. ONCE THIS WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED...YOUR FAMILY SHOULD BE IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING PROTECTIVE ACTIONS AND DECIDING THE SAFEST LOCATION TO BE DURING THE STORM. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING HURRICANES OR HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS...PLEASE VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WWW.SRH.WEATHER.GOV OR CONTACT YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.