2017 National Hurricane Operations Plan: Fascinating Comprehensive Guide to Official Weather Service Products and Data Sources Used to Track Tropical Storms for Emergency Managers and Weather Geeks

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This official guide from NOAA, released in late 2017, provides authoritative and up-to-date information about all aspects of hurricane forecasting and warnings, with material of keen interest to both emergency managers and weather geeks.

The tropical cyclone warning service is an interdepartmental effort to provide the United States and designated international recipients with forecasts, warnings, and assessments concerning tropical and subtropical weather systems. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the Department of Commerce (DOC) is responsible for providing forecasts and warnings for the Atlantic and Eastern and Central Pacific Oceans while the Department of Defense (DOD) provides the same services for the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. NOAA, along with other Federal agencies such as the U.S. Navy and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), also conducts supporting research efforts to improve tropical cyclone forecasting and warning services. The bottom line—this interdepartmental cooperation achieves economy and efficiency in the provision of the tropical cyclone forecasting and warning services to the Nation. The National Hurricane Operations Plan provides the basis for implementing agreements reached at the Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference (IHC), which is sponsored annually by the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research. The goal of the IHC is to bring together the responsible Federal agencies to achieve agreement on items of mutual concern related to tropical cyclone forecasting and warning services for the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The procedures and agreements contained herein apply to the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and the Pacific Ocean. The plan defines the roles of individual agencies, participating in the tropical cyclone forecasting and warning program when more than one agency is involved in the delivery of service in any specific area. When a single agency is involved in any specific area, that agency's procedures should be contained in internal documents and, to the extent possible, be consistent with NHOP practices and procedures.

FOREWORD * TABLE OF CONTENTS * CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION * 1.1. General * 1.2. Scope * CHAPTER 2 RESPONSIBILITIES OF COOPERATING FEDERAL AGENCIES * 2.1. General * 2.2. DOC Responsibilities * 2.3. DOD Responsibilities * 2.4. DOT and DHS Responsibilities * 2.5. Annual Liaison with Other Nations * 2.6. Air Traffic Control/Flight Operations Coordination * 2-5 CHAPTER 3 GENERAL OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HURRICANE CENTERS * 3.1. General * 3.2. Products * 3.3. Numbering and Naming of Tropical and Subtropical Cyclones * 3.4. Transfer of Warning Responsibility * 3.5. Alternate Warning Responsibilities * 3.6. Abbreviated Communications Headings * 3.7. Hurricane Liaison Team (HLT) * CHAPTER 4 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PRODUCTS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE * 4.1. General * 4.2. Observations * 4.3. Tropical Cyclone Forecast/Advisory * CHAPTER 5 AIRCRAFT RECONNAISSANCE * 5.1. General * 5.2. Responsibilities * 5.3. Control of Aircraft * 5.4. Reconnaissance Requirements * 5.5. Reconnaissance Planning and Flight Notification * 5.6. Reconnaissance Effectiveness Criteria * 5.7. Aerial Reconnaissance Weather Encoding, Reporting, and Coordination * 5.8. Operational Flight Patterns * 5.9. Aircraft Reconnaissance Communications * CHAPTER 6 AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS * 6.1. Mission Coordination * 6.2. Mission Execution * CHAPTER 7 SATELLITE SURVEILLANCE OF TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL CYCLONES