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NOUS41 KWBC 011320
PNSWSH
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT 26-62
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS SILVER SPRING MD
920 AM EDT TUE SEPT 1 2026
TO: SUBSCRIBERS:
-NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE
-EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK
-NOAAPORT
OTHER NWS PARTNERS AND EMPLOYEES
FROM: GEORGE JUNGBLUTH, DIRECTOR
MISSION, SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGY
SUBJECT: SEEKING INITIAL COMMENTS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 21, 2026, ON
TRANSITION TO COMMON ALERTING PROTOCOL (CAP) AS THE PRIMARY NWS
WATCH, WARNING, AND ADVISORY DISSEMINATION PRODUCT FORMAT AND
POTENTIALLY DISCONTINUING THE VTEC FORMAT.
THE NWS IS MODERNIZING ITS INFRASTRUCTURE AND DISSEMINATION TO
STREAMLINE OPERATIONS, INCREASE RELIABILITY, AND ENHANCE OUR
SERVICES. CURRENTLY, VALID TIME EVENT CODE (VTEC) FORMAT IS THE
PRIMARY FORMAT FOR DISSEMINATING NWS WATCHES, WARNINGS, AND
ADVISORIES. CAP FORMATTED MESSAGES ARE CURRENTLY DERIVED FROM
THE VTEC FORMAT. THIS VTEC CREATION PROCESS LIMITS THE MOST
EFFECTIVE USE OF DIGITAL SERVICES, ESPECIALLY GEOSPATIAL
INFORMATION, FOR WATCH AND WARNING PRODUCTS.
WE ARE SEEKING COMMENTS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 21, 2026 ON A PROPOSAL
TO TRANSITION ENTIRELY TO THE CAP MESSAGE FORMAT FOR WATCH,
WARNING, AND ADVISORY DISSEMINATION AND POTENTIALLY
DISCONTINUING THE USE OF VTEC.THE CAP MESSAGES ARE ESSENTIAL
FOR CURRENT DISSEMINATION SYSTEMS INCLUDING THE FEMA INTEGRATED
PUBLIC ALERT AND WARNING SYSTEM (IPAWS), AND WILL CONTINUE TO
INCLUDE ELEMENTS OF THE VTEC CODING SUCH AS EVENT TRACKING,
CALLS TO ACTION, AND IMPACTS-BASED MESSAGING. THE NWS WILL
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PROPOSAL DETAILS INCLUDING ENHANCEMENTS TO
FUTURE CAP MESSAGES AFTER EVALUATING INITIAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE FOLLOWING IS A BRIEF SUMMARY OF SOME ALERTS THAT WOULD
POTENTIALLY NO LONGER HAVE ASSOCIATED VTEC CODING AND INSTEAD BE
ISSUED ONLY IN CAP FORMAT.
WATCH, WARNING, AWIPS / AFOS PIL WMO HEADER
ADVISORY TYPE
---------------- ---------------- ------------
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM SVRXXX WUAAII
AND TORNADO TORXXX WFAAII
WCNXXX WWAAII
TROPICAL STORM, CWFXXX FZAAII
HURRICANE, AND TCVXXX WTAAII
STORM SURGE EWWXXX WFAAII
WINTER STORM WSWXXX WWAAII
COASTAL FLOOD CFWXXX WHAAII
FLASH FLOOD FFAXXX WGAAII
FFWXXX WGAAII
FLWXXX WGAAII
TSUNAMI TSUXXX WEAAII
MARINE AND COASTAL MWWXXX WHAAII
HAZARDS CWFXXX FZAAII
SMWXXX WHAAII
A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF NWS CAP MESSAGES IS AVAILABLE IN THIS
DOCUMENT: CAP_MESSAGES.PDF, FULL URL:
HTTPS://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MEDIA/NOTIFICATION/REF/CAP_MESSAGES.PDF.
FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT NWS CAP FORMAT CAN BE FOUND AT
HTTPS://VLAB.NOAA.GOV/WEB/NWS-COMMON-ALERTING-PROTOCOL/CAP-
DOCUMENTATION
WE ARE LOOKING FOR COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK ON HOW LONG IT WILL
TAKE TO ACCOMMODATE THESE CHANGES, WHAT CONCERNS YOU MAY HAVE
ABOUT THIS CHANGE, AND WHETHER YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF A
FUTURE WEBINAR.
PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR FEEDBACK VIA THIS BRIEF, TWO QUESTION
SURVEY: HTTPS://WWW.SURVEYMONKEY.COM/R/CAPTRANSITION
QUESTIONS ON THE PROPOSAL MAY BE SENT TO:
BRIAN MIRETZKY
NWS COMMON ALERTING PROTOCOL PRODUCT OWNER
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
OFFICE OF DISSEMINATION
EMAIL: NWS.WEBFEEDBACK@NOAA.GOV
NATIONAL PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS ARE ONLINE AT:
HTTPS://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/NOTIFICATION/
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