Hydrologic Service Areas
Hydrologic Service Areas (HSAs) are geographical areas within which a specific NWS Weather Service Forecast Office (WFO) has hydrologic responsibilities. These responsibilities include maintaining data observing and collecting points, monitoring and forecasting for heavy rains that cause floods, the issuance of flood watches and warnings for site-specific locations within their HSAs, and the coordination of critical information to public, government officials, and other water management agencies.
River Forecast Centers (RFCs) issue stage and crest forecasts to the local NWS Offices. The local offices then use this information to issue flood warnings and statements for specific forecast points within their HSAs. There are 13 RFCs nationwide, 4 within the Southern Region. Besides issuing river forecasts, the RFCs are involved with radar and rainfall observation quality control and product mosaicing, model calibration, local procedure development, and coordination with other government agencies.
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