WFO Honolulu issues a route forecast (ROFOR) from San Francisco/Santa Barbara to Honolulu twice a day, at 0700 UTC and 1900 UTC (latest ROFOR). In addition to forecasts of winds, temperatures, and weather for zone segments along the routes, the ROFOR also includes a cumulative wind factor component section. The wind factor component section is a cumulative headwind/tailwind calculation based on forecast winds and the flight track along the route.
Pilots need a specific wind factor component to complete a flight to or from California, and will wait for favorable conditions. By adding an outlook forecast, pilots will be able to plan for changes in wind conditions expected over the next several days. Also, they will be able to get an idea of how the forecast is trending by tracking any changes in the wind component outlooks between successive forecasts.
Examples of the old and the new products are included below. If you have any questions about this change, please contact:
John H. Bravender, Aviation Program Manager
National Weather Service
2525 Correa Rd, Suite 250
Honolulu, HI 96822
(808) 973-5282
w-hfo.aviation@noaa.gov
Here is an example of the old product:
FRPN31 PHFO 121841
RFRKSF
WINDS/TEMPERATURES AND WEATHER BY ZONE FOR
ROUTE SFO/HNL VIA 31.3N/140W VALID AT 131200Z
FLIGHT LEVELS
ZONE FL050 FL100 FL180 FL240 ZONE WEATHER
25 3617 P15 3330 P10 3030 M08 2928 M20 6-8 ST 003/008
26 3617 P12 3311 P10 2614 M08 2513 M20 DO
27 3507 P11 9905 P10 2112 M08 1914 M21 3-5 SCST 003/008
28 1706 P12 1807 P08 1818 M09 1823 M22 4-6 SCST 008/015
29 1514 P12 1515 P06 1719 M10 1623 M23 5-7 SC 012/030
30 1714 P11 1720 P08 1913 M11 1617 M24 5-7 SC 020/040
31 1712 P12 1619 P09 1612 M10 1106 M23 5-7 SCCU 025/060
32 1512 P14 1614 P08 1207 M10 0116 M19 4-6 SCCU 030/080
OVERALL WIND FACTOR COMPONENTS
P0 M1 M7 M3
ROUTE SBA/HNL VIA 29.5N/140W VALID AT 131200Z
FLIGHT LEVELS
ZONE FL050 FL100 FL180 FL240 ZONE WEATHER
25 0215 P18 0120 P13 3314 M07 3212 M20 6-8 ST 005/012
26 0219 P13 0107 P10 2308 M08 2109 M20 DO
27 0513 P13 1009 P09 1611 M08 1616 M20 2-4 SCST 008/015
28 1112 P13 1313 P07 1619 M08 1622 M22 2-4 SCST 010/018
29 1414 P12 1515 P07 1719 M10 1622 M23 4-6 SC 015/030
30 1413 P11 1517 P08 1712 M11 1616 M24 5-7 SC 020/040
31 1612 P13 1618 P08 1511 M11 0806 M23 5-7 SCCU 025/060
32 1512 P14 1613 P08 1106 M09 3617 M18 4-6 SCCU 030/080
OVERALL WIND FACTOR COMPONENTS
P6 P4 M2 P0
SYNOPSIS...SFC HIGH 1029MB NEAR 35N 132W MOVING NE SLOWLY WITH
SURFACE RIDGE EXTENDING TO THE SW JUST N OF SFO/HNL ROUTE. STRONG
HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT OVER EASTERN ZONES. WEAK LOW ALOFT NEAR THE BIG
ISLAND OF HAWAII MOVING W SLOWLY.
$$
Here is an example of the new product with the outlook section:
(differences are highlighted in yellow)
FRPN31 PHFO 121841
RFRKSF
WINDS/TEMPERATURES AND WEATHER BY ZONE FOR
ROUTE SFO/HNL VIA 31.3N/140W VALID AT 131200Z
FLIGHT LEVELS
ZONE FL050 FL100 FL180 FL240 ZONE WEATHER
25 3617 P15 3330 P10 3030 M08 2928 M20 6-8 ST 003/008
26 3617 P12 3311 P10 2614 M08 2513 M20 DO
27 3507 P11 9905 P10 2112 M08 1914 M21 3-5 SCST 003/008
28 1706 P12 1807 P08 1818 M09 1823 M22 4-6 SCST 008/015
29 1514 P12 1515 P06 1719 M10 1623 M23 5-7 SC 012/030
30 1714 P11 1720 P08 1913 M11 1617 M24 5-7 SC 020/040
31 1712 P12 1619 P09 1612 M10 1106 M23 5-7 SCCU 025/060
32 1512 P14 1614 P08 1207 M10 0116 M19 4-6 SCCU 030/080
OVERALL WIND FACTOR COMPONENTS
P0 M1 M7 M3
ROUTE SFO/HNL VIA 31.3N/140W...OUTLOOK
OVERALL WIND FACTOR COMPONENTS VALID AT
P1 M2 M6 M2 14/1200Z
P2 M3 M5 M1 15/1200Z
P3 M4 M4 P0 16/1200Z
ROUTE SBA/HNL VIA 29.5N/140W VALID AT 131200Z
FLIGHT LEVELS
ZONE FL050 FL100 FL180 FL240 ZONE WEATHER
25 0215 P18 0120 P13 3314 M07 3212 M20 6-8 ST 005/012
26 0219 P13 0107 P10 2308 M08 2109 M20 DO
27 0513 P13 1009 P09 1611 M08 1616 M20 2-4 SCST 008/015
28 1112 P13 1313 P07 1619 M08 1622 M22 2-4 SCST 010/018
29 1414 P12 1515 P07 1719 M10 1622 M23 4-6 SC 015/030
30 1413 P11 1517 P08 1712 M11 1616 M24 5-7 SC 020/040
31 1612 P13 1618 P08 1511 M11 0806 M23 5-7 SCCU 025/060
32 1512 P14 1613 P08 1106 M09 3617 M18 4-6 SCCU 030/080
OVERALL WIND FACTOR COMPONENTS
P6 P4 M2 P0
ROUTE SBA/HNL VIA 29.5N/140W...OUTLOOK
OVERALL WIND FACTOR COMPONENTS VALID AT
P5 P3 M1 M1 14/1200Z
P4 P2 P0 M2 15/1200Z
P3 P1 P1 M3 16/1200Z
SYNOPSIS...SFC HIGH 1029MB NEAR 35N 132W MOVING NE SLOWLY WITH
SURFACE RIDGE EXTENDING TO THE SW JUST N OF SFO/HNL ROUTE. STRONG
HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT OVER EASTERN ZONES. WEAK LOW ALOFT NEAR THE BIG
ISLAND OF HAWAII MOVING W SLOWLY.
$$