[EAS] concerning the request for new weather Event Codes

[Robert Bunge - NOAA Federal]

Not to say one approach is better than the other, NWS currently issues
forecasts for most of the US using 2.5x2.5 grids  You can see an
example from any of the NWS "point" forecast pages:

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-111.11831018066404&lat=39.738546703312664#.V4Ade0YrK_4

Be sure to look at the map (which is clickable) to see the area of
coverage.  FYI, data in the form of "elements" is stored for each grid
point across the US mostly as numerical data.  The words on the page
are generated by computer code from the data.

Grids can be easy to transmit since you can define them by four
corners, a center location combined size information or a number of a
predefined grid.  In the case of a hazard, a grid can contain
information such as a probability, that can be used by the consumer to
make a decision based on their threshold and risk tolerance.  You may
image a NWS polygon populated with grids that can tell a device/person
as to the risk of an approaching tornado or other event, meaning that
for NWS the science will approach a level of granularity greater than
the current polygons (which as we know the current EAS system can't
handle).    The concepts are from the FACETS project:

http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/projects/facets/

More and more NWS information is in the form of grids and in fact, the
new Storm Surge Warning product starts off as a gridded product and
ends up being converted to FIPS and perhaps polygons... meaning
perhaps all three are used for a long time.

If as I write this, my 13-year old son is playing Minecraft with a
friend.  Minecraft is a grid/cubed based "world" and they often find
each other in the world using x/y coordinates.  Microsoft purchased
Minecraft, not only as a game but also because it has promise as an
educational and business tool where the real world is transferred to
this digital cubed world and explored remotely.

If EAS is redesigned and knowing the lead times involved, some serious
thought will need to be given as to the dissemination technologies
used.

Bob Bunge