On Monday April 5, a new functionality will be available in WWA. The functionality
deals with the identification of the operating mode of WWA. These different
modes are defined below:
Active
Mode:
Active mode is the operational mode used to publicly issue WWA generated
watch, warning, and advisory products.
Test
Mode:
Test mode was designed to act as close to active mode as possible with the exception
of the word TEST strategically placed in the final product. In other
words, products generated in test mode will disseminate publicly, will format
NWR products if set as active, and will utilize intersite coordination.
Practice
Mode:
Practice mode works much differently than either test or active. In short, generating
and transmitting practice products will store locally as WWAWRKWWA and will not
disseminate publicly. It will create and send a CRS formatted product to the NWR
browser pending directory (does not matter if the variable to send products to
CRS is set on or off). It will not utilize intersite coordination.
However, the ability to follow-up, clear, and cancel is preserved and, similar
to test mode, text will have TEST strategically placed in the final
product. The idea behind practice mode is to provide a working WWA that will not
disseminate products publicly.
When you transmit a product in WWA after this upgrade, you will notice some
differences. But the difference depends on whether you are an OB2
or OB3 site. The details are below.
-
OB2
- When transmitting a product, you will notice the background
color of the top of the window indicates whether a product will go out live
or be issued as a work product. Below are examples:

-
OB3
- When
you click send at the top of the transmit window, a new window will pop
up that clearly indicates whether the product is being transmitted live
or stored internally. Below is the transmit window and the possible boxes
that will pop up.


To print this
page:
-
from Netscape - Click "File"
then "Page Setup" and make sure the "Black Text"
checkbox IS checked.
from Explorer - Click "Tools"
then "Internet Options" then the "Advanced" tab
then scroll down to "Printing", make sure "Print background
colors and images" is NOT checked. This is the default.