PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...COMMENT REQUEST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC

TO:       SUBSCRIBERS:
          -FAMILY OF SERVICES
          -NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE 
          -EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK 
          OTHER NWS PARTNERS...AND NWS EMPLOYEES

FROM:     BILL PROENZA
          DIRECTOR... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
          SOUTHERN REGION

SUBJECT:  PUBLIC COMMENTS SOLICITED ON EXPERIMENTAL HOURLY
          PRECIPITATION ESTIMATE WEB-BASED INFORMATION SERVICE:
          EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 27 2008

EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 27 2008...THE NWS SOUTHERN REGION STARTED 
PRODUCING AN EXPERIMENTAL HOURLY PRECIPITATION ESTIMATE 
INFORMATION SERVICE.

DATA FROM GROUND-BASED RAIN GAGES ARE COMBINED WITH HOURLY 
PRECIPITATION ESTIMATES FROM DOPPLER RADAR TO DERIVE THESE HOURLY 
MULTISENSOR PRECIPITATION ESTIMATES. THE PRECIPITATION ESTIMATES 
ARE UPDATED HOURLY AT APPROXIMATELY 58 MINUTES PAST THE HOUR.   

THE SERVICE PROVIDES PRECIPITATION ESTIMATES IN SHAPEFILE 
GRAPHICAL FORMAT WHICH ALLOWS USERS TO DOWNLOAD FILES IN GIS BASED 
SOFTWARE. THE SUITE OF GRAPHICS INCLUDES PRECIPITATION FOR THE 
LAST HOUR...3 HOURS...6 HOURS...12 HOURS...24 HOURS...48 HOURS...
72 HOURS...AND SINCE 12Z FOR THE CURRENT DAY.   
 
THE SERVICE IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT:

  http://www.srh.noaa.gov/rfcshare/precip_analysis_hourly.php 

MORE INFORMATION ON THIS EXPERIMENTAL SERVICE MAY BE FOUND AT: 

  http://products.weather.gov/PDD/PDDregionalprecip.pdf

THE FEEDBACK PERIOD FOR THIS EXPERIMENTAL INFORMATION SERVICE WILL 
EXTEND THROUGH JANUARY 2009. NWS ENCOURAGES ITS PARTNERS AND 
CUSTOMERS TO FILL OUT A SURVEY ON THIS NEW SERVICE. CLICK ON THE 
SURVEY/FEEDBACK TAB ABOVE THE MAP TO FILL OUT OUR SURVEY.

FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS EXPERIMENTAL INFORMATION SERVICE... 
PLEASE CONTACT: 

  KAI ROTH
  LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER FORECASTS CENTER
  62300 AIRPORT RD.
  SLIDELL, LA 70460-5243
  EMAIL: SR-TUA.PRECIP@NOAA.GOV
  PHONE: 985-641-4343

NWS TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION NOTICES ARE ONLINE AT 
/USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:

  http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/notif.htm