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A severe thunderstorm watch is a statement issued by weather forecasting agencies to advise the public that atmospheric conditions in a given region may lead to the development of severe thunderstorms within the region over a period of several hours. The criteria for issuing a watch varies by country, and may also include torrential rainfall and tornadoes. A watch may also be issued several hours ahead of the arrival of a mature and organized complex of storms, or more clustered or discrete storm activity.
A severe thunderstorm warning is a type of public warning for severe weather that is issued by weather forecasting agencies worldwide when one or more severe thunderstorms have been detected by Doppler weather radar, observed by weather spotters, or reported by an emergency management agency, law enforcement, or the general public. Unlike a watch, a warning is issued to areas in the direct path of active severe thunderstorms, that are expecting a direct impact typically within an hour. Severe thunderstorms can cause property damage and injury due to large hail, high winds, and flooding due to torrential rainfall. The exact criteria to issue a warning varies from country to country.
The National Weather Service (NWS) is an agency of the United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weather-related products to organizations and the public for the purposes of protection, safety, and general information. It is a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) branch of the Department of Commerce, and is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, within the Washington metropolitan area. The agency was known as the United States Weather Bureau from 1891 until it adopted its current name in 1970.
A winter storm warning is a hazardous weather statement issued by Weather Forecast Offices (WFO) of the National Weather Service (NWS) in the United States to alert the public that a winter storm is occurring or is about to occur in the area, usually within 36 hours of the storm's onset.
A winter storm watch is issued by the National Weather Service of the United States when there is a possibility of heavy snow or potential of significant ice accumulations, without meeting a specific other winter criteria. The watch is typically issued 12 to 48 hours before the storm's expected arrival in the given area. The criteria for this watch can vary from place to place, which is true with other winter weather warning and advisories.
This article describes severe weather terminology used by the National Weather Service (NWS) in the United States, a government agency operating within the Department of Commerce as an arm of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
This article describes severe weather terminology used by the Meteorological Service of Canada, a branch within Environment and Climate Change Canada. The article primarily describes various weather warnings, and their criteria. Related weather scales and general weather terms are also addressed in this article. Some terms are specific to certain regions.
In weather forecasting in the United States, "particularly dangerous situation" (PDS) is the wording used by the National Weather Service to convey special urgency in watch or warning messages for unusually extreme and life-threatening severe weather. It is used in the format "This is a particularly dangerous situation..." at the discretion of the issuing forecaster. A watch or warning bearing the phrase is referred to as a PDS watch or PDS warning.
A significant weather advisory was a hazardous weather statement issued by certain Weather Forecast Offices (WFO) of the National Weather Service (NWS) in the United States to alert the public of thunderstorm activity that is below designated severe criteria for and/or is not expected to produce severe weather. The title assigned to the advisory — alternately titled "significant weather alert" or referenced by its originating product, "special weather statement" — varied by the issuing WFO.
A Special Weather Statement is a form of weather advisory. Special Weather Statements are issued by the National Weather Service of the United States (NWS) and the Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC). There are no set criteria for special weather statements in either country.
A freeze warning is a warning issued by the National Weather Service when sub-freezing temperatures are expected in the next 36 hours. This can occur with or without frost. When a freeze warning is issued in the fall, that will usually signify the end of the growing season, as sub-freezing temperatures will usually kill all remaining crops. Farmers and gardeners should take action to protect or harvest their herbaceous plants if a freeze warning is issued. A freeze warning is issued several hours after a freeze watch if a freeze continues to be expected.
A freezing rain advisory was an advisory issued by the National Weather Service in the United States when freezing rain or freezing drizzle was expected to cause significant inconveniences, but did not meet warning criteria.
A weather warning generally refers to an alert issued by a meteorological agency to warn citizens of approaching dangerous weather. A weather watch, on the other hand, typically refers to an alert issued to indicate that conditions are favorable for the development of dangerous weather patterns, although the dangerous weather conditions themselves are not currently present.
A cold weather advisory is a hazardous weather statement issued by Weather Forecast Offices (WFO) of the National Weather Service (NWS) in the United States to alert the public that temperatures or wind chills are forecast to reach values low enough that it poses a threat to human health and life if adequate protection is not taken against hypothermia and frostbite. The exact criteria meriting the issuance of an advisory vary from state to state, and areas prone to colder temperatures will often require colder temperatures/wind chills before issuing an advisory.
A wind chill watch was a weather watch formerly issued by the National Weather Service of the United States when the wind chill could reach dangerous levels within the next 12 to 48 hours; as of October 2024 it has been re-named "extreme cold watch." The exact definition required to issue a watch varies from state to state or from National Weather Service county warning areas to another, but if forecasters believe conditions are favorable for life-threatening wind chills meeting local criteria, a watch will be issued. People going outside should plan to protect themselves against hypothermia and frostbite. In October 2024, the "wind chill watch" and "wind chill warning" were, among other changes, re-named in-favor of a "simplified" naming scheme.
A wind chill warning was a hazardous weather statement previously issued by both local forecast offices of the National Weather Service (NWS) in the United States and by the Meteorological Service of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) when wind chills were forecast to reach values low enough for residents and travelers to be susceptible to life-threatening medical conditions or death associated with accelerated body heat loss. In both Canada and the United States, the "wind chill warning" has been replaced with the "extreme cold warning."
A gale watch is issued by the National Weather Service of the United States when there is an increased risk for a gale-force wind event, meaning sustained surface winds, or frequent gusts, of 34 to 47 knots, but the occurrence, location, and/or timing of the event is still uncertain.
An extreme cold warning is a weather warning issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and by the United States' National Weather Service (NWS) to inform the public about active or imminent severe cold temperatures in their local region.
The 2019–20 North American winter was unusually warm for many parts of the United States; in many areas, neutral ENSO conditions controlled the weather patterns, resulting in strong El Niño like conditions and the sixth-warmest winter on record, and many areas in the Northeastern United States saw one of the least snowy winters in years. In fact, Baltimore and Islip saw no snow in February for the first time. Some notable events still occurred, such as a powerful blizzard that impacted the Western United States in late November, a series of cold shots in January and February, a snowstorm within the Texas Panhandle and a late-season blizzard in the High Plains.
The 2020–21 North American winter was the most significant winter season to affect North America in several years, and the costliest on record, with a damage total of at least $33.35 billion. The season featured six storms ranking on the Regional Snowfall Index scale (RSI), with four storms ranking as at least a Category 3. Most of the winter's damage and fatalities occurred due to a historic and major cold wave in mid-February. Several other significant events occurred, including a crippling early-season ice storm in the Southern Plains, a powerful nor'easter in mid-December, another major nor'easter in early February, two major and widespread winter storms in mid-February, and a major blizzard in the Rocky Mountains in mid-March. The winter-related events were responsible for at least 358 fatalities, making it the deadliest season since 1992–93. A La Niña pattern influenced much of the winter in North America.
References
- ↑ Fox 9 Staff. "National Weather Service Renames Cold Forecast". AOL. Archived from the original on 2024-10-12. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
The NWS clarified that an "Extreme Cold Watch" means dangerously cold air, with or without wind, is possible...
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ Michael Musher, National Weather Service Public Affairs. "National Weather Service Revises Watch, Warning and Advisory Products". News Around NOAA. Archived from the original on 2024-10-07. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
- ↑ Blaise Keller. "Beyond the Barometer: Changes coming to wind chill alerts". Wisconsin State Journal. Archived from the original on 2024-10-08. Retrieved 2024-10-10.