Hello Everyone! Welcome to 2005 and our first newsletter to all of you this year! Please feel free to distribute this email to interested people or just send along the email address to us and we will gladly add it to our list.

This winter has been very active, from Thanksgiving through the end of January. Every location in southeast Michigan has had near their average yearly snowfall already! There have been several significant winter storms including lake effect snows for the thumb region. NOAA's National Weather Service Office in White Lake would appreciate your feedback on our forecasts, warnings and services through this active stretch of winter weather. To participate, please complete this short feedback section and email back to:
Richard.Pollman@noaa.gov and/or myself Brian.Montgomery@noaa.gov

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest, please rate the following....

1) Overall effectiveness and accuracy of the NOAA NWS forecasts.

2) The quality of the Urgent-Winter Message (WSW), the watches, warnings
and advisories.

3) The overall quality of the Short Term Forecast (NOW) including,
frequency of issuance's, forecast specifics, and usefulness to your
operations.

4) The quality of the Snowfall Reports in the Public Information
Statements (PNS) including, frequency of issuance's, the number of
snowfall reports, and the summary Snowfall Report.

5) The overall quality of the NWS DTX webpage including the snowfall
graphic and the Winter Storm webpage headline.

6) Please rate our service including media interviews or weather support
for Emergency Services.

7) Any additional comments or suggestions.

1. February 6 through 12 is All Hazards NOAA Weather Radio Awareness Week. Daily public information statements will be issued during this week to highlight the importance of this life saving device. Our web site will have additional information and we encourage you to visit www.crh.noaa.gov/dtx

2. Valid Time Event Code (VTEC) becomes operational on *February 8 at 1800 UTC (1 PM).* All Tornado Warnings, Severe Thunderstorm Warnings, Severe Weather Statements and Initial and Final Watch Outline Update Messages will contain VTEC in the "O" or operational mode. The State Areal Outline Statement (SLS) and SEV products will be discontinued on *February 22 at 1800 UTC (1 PM).* You will need to use the Watch Outline Update Message (WOU) issued by the Storm Prediction Center for the initial list of counties, independent cities and marine zones for Severe Thunderstorm and Tornado Watches. If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact our Warning Coordination Meteorologist Richard Pollman at Richard.Pollman@noaa.gov

3. The Detroit Boat Show at Cobo Hall
Come visit your NOAA's National Weather Service meteorologists and technicians during the weekends of February 12-13, 19-20. In addition, scientists from GLERL (Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory) will be on hand to answer your questions. We look forward to meeting you!

4. Advanced Skywarn Spotter Class
The IMO (IN, MI, OH) Skywarn group and the NWS IWX (North Webster, Indiana) are proud to offer the 2nd Advanced spotter training seminar at Elkhart IN. As with the 2003 training session, this will be an all day event with 2 snacks and lunch provided. It will be on Saturday March 12, 2005 beginning at 8 am. There will be three speakers this year. They will speak on topics relating to their expertise and include; Dr. Bart Wolf, Valparaiso University; Roger Edwards, SPC forecaster; and Steve Eddy; Meteorologist from IWX. Each speaker will have 90 minutes to speak and we will end the day with a panel discussion (speakers)...answering questions from the audience.
The cost is $25 (before 2/15/05) and $30 after that date. Students 18 and under are $10. Additional information including registration information can be found at the IMO Skywarn website ( http://www.imoskywarn.org/ ).

5. Numerical Model Changes
Recently, the Eta Model has been switched to the NAM (North American Mesoscale)... same model just different name. It will run 4 times a day and out to 84 hours. For additional information including future enhancements to the numerical suite... please visit:
http://www.ncep.noaa.gov/

6. Phone Numbers To Recorded Weather Forecasts
Are you away from a computer but you are near a telephone... you can now get recorded forecasts across most of the country. Here is a web site with all of the available phone numbers to obtain the latest forecast from NOAA's National Weather Service:
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/pa/recordedforecasts.php

7. Skywarn Spotter Seminars
The latest schedule for this years Skywarn Spotter Seminars for Southeast Lower Michigan is now available from our web site. We look forward to seeing you as we travel across Southeast Lower Michigan.

Upcoming dates of interest:
Severe Weather Awareness Week March 20-26

If you need additional information, please contact us as we are available 24/7. Have a great day!
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Brian Montgomery Brian.Montgomery@noaa.gov
Meteorologist
NOAA's National Weather Service
Detroit/Pontiac Forecast Office
Phone: (248)625-3309 Fax: (248)625-4834
Website: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dtx/
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