National Weather Service Raw Text Product

609 
NOUS41 KPHI 181541
PNSPHI
DEZ001>004-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ001-007>010-012>027-PAZ054-
055-060>062-070-071-101>106-191200-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
1141 AM EDT WED JUN 18 2014

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS WITH AN ENHANCED HEADLINE FOR HIGH 
IMPACT EVENTS...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN MOUNT HOLLY, NEW 
JERSEY WILL BEGIN ISSUING SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS WITH AN 
ENHANCED HEADLINE FOR HIGH IMPACT EVENTS. THIS CHANGE WILL BE 
EFFECTIVE TODAY JUNE 18, 2014, AND IT MIRRORS THE NEW TORNADO
EMERGENCY HEADLINE FORMAT.

A BETTER WAY IS NEEDED TO COMMUNICATE THAT A WARNING IS NOT A 
TYPICAL ONE DURING HIGH IMPACT EVENTS. THIS WAS EMPHASIZED BY 
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS FOLLOWING THE JUNE 2012 DERECHO 
EVENT. THEREFORE, AN ENHANCED HEADLINE WILL BE PLACED AT THE TOP OF 
THE WARNING TO CONVEY THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SEVERE WEATHER.

THE ISSUANCE OF THESE ENHANCED WARNINGS WILL BE RARE AND RESERVED 
FOR VERY SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS. THE MAIN CRITERIA ARE 
WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTIVE WINDS OF 70 MPH OR GREATER, SUCH AS WITH A 
DERECHO, AND VERY LARGE HAIL THE SIZE OF GOLF BALLS OR GREATER 
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. HOWEVER, FORECASTER 
DISCRETION WILL ALSO PLAY A ROLE, SUCH AS WHEN A VERY STRONG 
SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORM IS TRACKING RIGHT AT A MAJOR SPORTING EVENT 
WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE. THIS CAN CERTAINLY BE A 
HIGH IMPACT EVENT WITH A HEIGHTENED THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY.

THE GOAL OF THIS FORMAT CHANGE IS TO QUICKLY CONVEY RIGHT AT THE TOP 
OF THE WARNING THAT AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY LIFE 
THREATENING SITUATION IS IMMINENT. AS THE WARNING TEXT IS VIEWED, 
THE ENHANCED HEADLINE AT THE TOP IS EXPECTED TO QUICKLY GRAB THE 
USERS ATTENTION SO IMMEDIATE ACTION CAN BE TAKEN.

WHAT THE HEADLINE AND WORDING WILL LOOK LIKE IS...

...THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING 
SITUATION...

AGAIN, THE ISSUANCE OF THESE ENHANCED WARNINGS WILL BE RARE AND 
RESERVED FOR VERY SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS.

BE SAFE WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING AND REMEMBER, WHEN THUNDER 
ROARS GO INDOORS.

$$

GORSE