ATC Question about traffic

[El Duderino]

I can't count how many times I have wondered this but forgotten to ask someone.
When ATC gives you a turn twenty left or right then they come back while you are in the turn to tell you about traffic at twelve o'clock. Is the traffic at what was your twelve oclock prior to turning or at what will be your new twelve oclock position on rollout or somewhere in between? Thank you.
Is there a protocol given to ATC for this? If so what is it, or is it at the descrition of the controller?

 

[Vector4fun]

Traffic advisories, especially to a manuevering aircraft, is not a precise thing. The following is from the FAA 7110.65

2-1-21. TRAFFIC ADVISORIES

Unless an aircraft is operating within Class A airspace or omission is requested by the pilot, issue traffic advisories to all aircraft (IFR or VFR) on your frequency when, in your judgment, their proximity may diminish to less than the applicable separation minima. Where no separation minima applies, such as for VFR aircraft outside of Class B/Class C airspace, or a TRSA, issue traffic advisories to those aircraft on your frequency when in your judgment their proximity warrants it. Provide this service as follows:

a. To radar identified aircraft:

1. Azimuth from aircraft in terms of the 12-hour clock, or

2. When rapidly maneuvering aircraft prevent accurate issuance of traffic as in 1 above, specify the direction from an aircraft's position in terms of the eight cardinal compass points (N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, and NW). This method shall be terminated at the pilot's request.

3. Distance from aircraft in miles.

4. Direction in which traffic is proceeding and/or relative movement of traffic.

NOTE-
Relative movement includes closing, converging, parallel same direction, opposite direction, diverging, overtaking, crossing left to right, crossing right to left.

5. If known, type of aircraft and altitude.

REFERENCE-
FAAO 7110.65, Description of Aircraft Types, Para 2-4-21.

PHRASEOLOGY-
TRAFFIC, (number) O'CLOCK,

or when appropriate,

(direction) (number) MILES, (direction)-BOUND and/or (relative movement),

and if known,

(type of aircraft and altitude).

or

When appropriate,

(type of aircraft and relative position), (number of feet) FEET ABOVE/BELOW YOU.

If altitude is unknown,

ALTITUDE UNKNOWN.

EXAMPLE-
"Traffic, eleven o'clock, one zero miles, southbound, converging, Boeing Seven Twenty Seven, one seven thousand."
"Traffic, twelve o'clock, one five miles, opposite direction, altitude unknown."
"Traffic, ten o'clock, one two miles, southeast bound, one thousand feet below you."

Many controllers I know try to be precise as possible, ("traffic when you roll out will be") or some such, but it's also non-standard phraseology. Also, we're issuing traffic in relation to your ground track, not absolute heading. If you're heading 270, but tracking 240 because of a stiff N wind, the twelve o'clock traffic may be ahead and to your left.

So the precise answer is: Who Knows? If they say twelve o'clock, look everywhere from 10:30 to 1:30.....