U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE/ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL COORDINATOR FOR METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH National Hurricane Operations Plan FCM-P12-2020 Washington, DC May 2020 Hurricane Dorian, courtesy of NOAA FEDERAL COORDINATOR FOR METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH 1325 East-West Highway, SSMC2 Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 301-628-0112 NATIONAL HURRICANE OPERATIONS PLAN FCM-P12-2020 Washington, D.C. May 2020 CHANGE AND REVIEW LOG Use this page to record changes and notices of reviews. Change Page Numbers Date Posted Initials Number (mm/dd/yyyy) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Changes are indicated by a vertical line in the margin next to the change or by shading and strikeouts. No. Review Date Comments Initials (mm/dd/yyyy) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. iv FOREWORD The Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (OFCM) works with Federal agency stakeholders to plan hurricane observing and reconnaissance in preparation for each hurricane season. OFCM’s Working Group for Tropical Cyclone Operations and Research (WG/TCOR) manages the process of publishing an annual update to the National Hurricane Operations Plan (NHOP), which documents the agreed-upon interagency plans. The NHOP focuses primarily on the planning, execution, and use of aerial reconnaissance conducted by the Air Force Reserve Command’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (WRS) and NOAA’s Aircraft Operations Center (AOC); addresses meteorological satellite, weather radar, and ocean observing; and a number of other, related topics. The 2020 NHOP is the culmination of meticulous discussion conducted during the annual Working Group for Tropic Cyclone Operations and Research (WG/TCOR) includes a number of noteworthy changes, including: • Changes to Tropical Cyclone Public Advisories, Tropical Cyclone Forecast/Advisories, NHC and CPHC Continuance of Advisories and Products for Post-Tropical Cyclones • Updates to the frequency of the issuance of Tropical Cyclone Forecast/Advisories • Updated most of the Tables in Chapter 7 with new information I want to express my sincere appreciation to all the participating Federal agencies for their cooperation in reviewing last year’s NHOP, identifying and drafting necessary changes, and working together to approve and incorporate those changes into the 2020 NHOP. Considering mandatory social distancing, widespread teleworking, and a myriad of other challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic protocols, I am very proud of and humbled by the team’s accomplishments. //SIGNED// Mr. Michael Bonadonna Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research v vi NATIONAL HURRICANE OPERATIONS PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS CHANGE AND REVIEW LOG ................................................................................................... iv FOREWORD .................................................................................................................................. v TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................................. vii LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... xiii LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ xv CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 1-1 1.1 General. .................................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.2 Scope. ..................................................................................................................................... 1-1 CHAPTER 2: RESPONSIBILITIES OF COOPERATING FEDERAL AGENCIES ................ 2-1 2.1. General. ................................................................................................................................. 2-1 2.2. DOC Responsibilities............................................................................................................ 2-1 2.2.1. Forecasting and Warning Services......................................................................... 2-1 2.2.2. Support to DOD. .................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2.3. Post Analysis of Tropical Cyclones. ...................................................................... 2-2 2.2.4. Environmental Satellite Systems. .......................................................................... 2-2 2.2.5. Data Buoy Systems. ............................................................................................... 2-2 2.2.6. Weather Reconnaissance. ...................................................................................... 2-3 2.3. DOD Responsibilities. .......................................................................................................... 2-3 2.4. DOT and DHS Responsibilities. ........................................................................................... 2-4 2.4.1. Information Dissemination. ................................................................................... 2-4 2.4.2. Flight Assistance. ................................................................................................... 2-4 2.4.3. U. S. Coast Guard. ................................................................................................. 2-4 2.5. Annual Liaison with Other Nations. ..................................................................................... 2-4 2.6. Air Traffic Control/Flight Operations Coordination............................................................. 2-5 2.6.1. Gulf of Mexico Weather Reconnaissance.............................................................. 2-5 2.6.2. Air Traffic Control Assistance. .............................................................................. 2-5 CHAPTER 3: GENERAL OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HURRICANE CENTERS ..................................................................... 3-1 3.1. General. ................................................................................................................................. 3-1 3.2. Products................................................................................................................................. 3-1 vii 3.2.1. Tropical Weather Outlook (TWO). ............................................................................ 3-1 3.2.2. Tropical Cyclone Public Advisories (TCP). .............................................................. 3-1 3.2.3. Tropical Cyclone Forecast/Advisories (TCM). ......................................................... 3-2 3.2.4. Tropical Cyclone Discussions (TCD). ....................................................................... 3-2 3.2.5. Tropical Cyclone Updates (TCU). ............................................................................. 3-2 3.2.6. Graphical Tropical Cyclone Surface Wind Speed Probabilities. ............................... 3-3 3.2.7. Tropical Cyclone Surface Wind Speed Probabilities Text Product (PWS). .............. 3-3 3.2.8. Tropical Cyclone Watch Warning Product (TCV). ................................................... 3-3 3.2.9. Weather Prediction Center (WPC) Public Advisories (TCP). ................................... 3-4 3.2.10. Other Tropical Cyclone Products............................................................................. 3-4 3.2.11. NHC and CPHC Continuance of Advisories and Products for Post-Tropical Cyclones. .............................................................................................................................. 3-4 3.3. Numbering and Naming of Tropical and Subtropical Cyclones. .......................................... 3-4 3.3.1. Atlantic Basin............................................................................................................. 3-5 3.3.2. Pacific East of 140°W. ............................................................................................... 3-5 3.3.3. Pacific West of 140°W and East of 180°. .................................................................. 3-5 3.3.4. Pacific West of 180° and North of 0°. ....................................................................... 3-6 3.3.5. South Pacific South of Equator and East of 160°E. ................................................... 3-6 3.3.6. Subtropical Depressions............................................................................................. 3-6 3.4. Transfer of Warning Responsibility...................................................................................... 3-6 3.4.1. NHC to CPHC............................................................................................................ 3-6 3.4.2. CPHC to JTWC/(RSMC, Tokyo)/WFO Guam. ........................................................ 3-6 3.4.3. JTWC/RSMC, Tokyo to CPHC. ................................................................................ 3-6 3.5. Alternate Warning Responsibilities. ..................................................................................... 3-6 3.5.1. Transfer to Alternate. ................................................................................................. 3-6 3.5.2. Notification. ..............................................................................................................