Important Change to CONUS Text Area Forecasts (FAs)

Notice Number: NOTC7226

What: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS) have been working jointly to retire the six (6) CONUS text FAs, while also directing users to utilize finer resolution graphical and digital weather forecast products.

Why: The CONUS FAs (c. 1940) are a suite of products that cover very large geographical areas, have limited text size, cannot account for certain meteorological conditions and are updated only three times a day. Several NWS digital and graphical products are available today that provide the same weather forecast information found in the CONUS FA, but with much finer resolution in both space and time. These digital and graphical products provide users much improved weather forecast information.

When: A transition period of three (3) months begins July 10, where all the NWS products will be available. Production of the CONUS text FAs will cease October 10.

Where: Only the CONUS FAs are affected. Other (off-CONUS) FAs will continue to be produced, until further notice.

The Graphical Forecasts for Aviation (GFA) can be accessed at: https://www.aviationweather.gov/gfa

PowerPoint slides with additional information are available at: https://www.faasafety.gov/gslac/ALC/libview_normal.aspx?id=132160

For additional details, please contact:

FAA: Mr. Michael ‘Pat’ Murphy
NextGen Aviation Weather Division
1250 Maryland Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20025
(202) 267-2788
Michael.Murphy@faa.gov

NWS: Mr. Kevin Stone
Aviation and Space Weather Services Branch
1325 East West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910
(301) 427-9363
Kevin.Stone@noaa.gov