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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
745 AM EDT TUE APR 21 2026
..PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
TO: SUBSCRIBERS:
-NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE
-NOAAPORT
-EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK
OTHER NWS PARTNERS, USERS AND EMPLOYEES
FROM: NICK FILLO - WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST
WFO BLACKSBURG, VA
SUBJECT: UPGRADING RIVER FORECAST SERVICES FROM FLOOD-ONLY TO
DAILY ISSUANCE FOR SELECTED LOCATIONS IN CENTRAL
VIRGINIA AND NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA
EFFECTIVE APRIL 28, 2026, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (NWS) IN
BLACKSBURG, IN COORDINATION WITH THE SOUTHEAST RIVER FORECAST
CENTER (SERFC), WILL UPGRADE HYDROLOGIC SERVICES FOR 2 RIVER GAUGE
LOCATIONS. SERVICES WILL TRANSITION FROM “FLOOD-ONLY” FORECASTS
TO DAILY ROUTINE FORECASTS.
PREVIOUSLY, THESE LOCATIONS WERE DESIGNATED AS FLOOD-ONLY
FORECAST POINTS, MEANING THE FIVE-DAY FORECAST WAS ONLY PROVIDED
BY SERFC HYDROLOGISTS WHEN RIVER LEVELS WERE EXPECTED TO RISE NEAR
OR ABOVE MINOR FLOOD STAGE. FOLLOWING INQUIRIES FROM PARTNERS AND
USERS, THE SERFC WILL NOW PROVIDE DAILY, YEAR-ROUND FORECAST
INFORMATION FOR THESE SITES.
THIS TRANSITION PROVIDES SEVERAL BENEFITS:
* ENHANCED SITUATIONAL AWARENESS: PROVIDES VALUABLE DATA DURING
DROUGHT AND/OR LOW FLOW CONDITIONS, NOT JUST FLOOD EVENTS.
* RECREATIONAL SAFETY: SUPPORTS ENHANCED SERVICES FOR RECREATIONAL
INTERESTS AND PUBLIC SAFETY ALONG RIVER REACHES.
* CONSISTENCY: DAILY MODELING OF POINTS SITUATED BETWEEN OR ABOVE
EXISTING DAILY FORECAST LOCATIONS ENSURES A MORE SEAMLESS
HYDROLOGIC PROFILE ACROSS THE AREA.
THE ENHANCED FORECASTS WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO THE EXISTING SERFC
WORKFLOW AND DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THE LOCAL NWS OFFICE TO THE
ONLINE NATIONAL WATER PREDICTION SERVICE (WATER.NOAA.GOV). NOTE:
NOT ALL RIVER FORECAST POINTS WILL TRANSITION TO A DAILY FORECAST
FREQUENCY. IN SOME CASES, A RIVER GAUGE LOCATION WILL REMAIN
"FLOOD-ONLY" DUE TO HYDROPOWER RELEASES, LOW-FLOW MODELING
COMPLEXITIES, OR INSTANCES WHERE FORECASTS ARE GENERATED LOCALLY
BY THE NWS IN BLACKSBURG RATHER THAN THE SERFC.
THE FOLLOWING GAUGES WILL TRANSITION TO DAILY ISSUANCE. SITES ARE
LISTED BY FORECAST GROUPING, NAME, NWS ID, AND USGS ID.
ROANOKE FORECAST GROUP
* PIGG RIVER NEAR SANDY LEVEL | SANV2 | USGS 02058400
PEEDEE FORECAST GROUP
* YADKIN RIVER AT WILKESBORO | WKSN7 | USGS 02112000
FOR QUESTIONS REGARDING THESE CHANGES, PLEASE CONTACT:
NICK FILLO
WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST
NWS BLACKSBURG, VA
EMAIL: NICHOLAS.FILLO@NOAA.GOV
OFFICE PHONE: 540-553-8900 EXT. 223
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