PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
425 AM MST MON DEC 17 2007

TO:       FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/ SUBSCRIBERS...NOAA
          WEATHER WIRE SERVICE /NWWS/ SUBSCRIBERS...EMERGENCY 
          MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK /EMWIN/ 
          SUBSCRIBERS...NOAAPORT SUBSCRIBERS...OTHER NATIONAL
          WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ CUSTOMERS AND PARTNERS...NWS
          EMPLOYEES

FROM:     KEITH MEIER
          METEOROLOGIST IN CHARGE 
          NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT          

SUBJECT:  NEW AVALANCHE WARNING PRODUCT
          EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1 2008

EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1 2008...THE NWS IN BILLINGS AND GREAT FALLS...IN 
COOPERATION WITH THE GALLATIN NATIONAL FOREST AVALANCHE 
CENTER...WILL BEGIN FORWARDING AVALANCHE WARNING INFORMATION ISSUED 
BY THE AVALANCHE CENTER...USING THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS:

PRODUCT                 WMO HEADINGS    AWIPS ID

AVALANCHE WARNING       WOUS45 KBYZ     GTFAVWBYZ
                        WOUS45 KTFX     GTFAVWTFX 

THE GALLATIN NATIONAL FOREST AVALANCHE CENTER COVERS THE 
BRIDGER...GALLATIN...MADISON AND WASHBURN RANGES...THE LIONHEAD AREA 
NEAR WEST YELLOWSTONE AND THE MOUNTAINS AROUND COOKE CITY. 

EACH WINTER...THOUSANDS OF AVALANCHES OCCUR IN THE MOUNTAINS OF 
MONTANA. THIS POSES A RISK TO SKIERS...HIKERS...HUNTERS AND 
SNOWMOBILERS. USING NWS DISSEMINATION TOOLS...AVALANCHE WARNING 
INFORMATION FROM THE GALLATIN NATIONAL FOREST AVALANCHE CENTER WILL 
GET HIGHER VISIBILITY AND INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF DANGEROUS 
AVALANCHE CONDITIONS THAT ARE IMMINENT. 

THIS AND OTHER NWS PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE 
LETTERS/: 

     HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BILLINGS
     HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS

ADDITIONAL AVALANCHE INFORMATION DIRECT FROM THE GALLATIN NATIONAL 
FOREST AVALANCHE CENTER IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE/:

    HTTP://WWW.MTAVALANCHE.COM

FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE PRODUCTS OR OTHER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE 
PRODUCTS...PLEASE CONTACT:

TOM FRIEDERS
WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
406-652-0851

DAN REILLY
WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
406-453-9957

Webmaster
US Dept of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Weather Service
Billings Weather Forecast Office
2170 Overland Avenue
Billings, Montana 59102-6455

Tel: (406)652-0851