Wind chill warning

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A wind chill warning is a hazardous weather statement issued by local forecast offices of the National Weather Service (NWS) in the United States or the Meteorological Service of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) when wind chills are forecast to reach values low enough to cause life-threatening impacts on residents and travelers.

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In the United States, the exact definition varies from state to state or between National Weather Service county warning areas, and a warning is used to express more severe conditions than a wind chill advisory. If going outside, people should make sure to take extra precaution against hypothermia and frostbite by wearing multiple layers as well as a hat and gloves. [1]

In the event that extreme wind chills are expected to quickly lead to frostbite or death, enhanced wording with the words particularly dangerous situation may be added to the text; this is rarely issued. The National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen was the first office to do this on Sunday, January 5, 2014. [2]

As of April 8 2014, Environment Canada replaced the Wind Chill Warning with an Extreme Cold Warning. The warning is still issued based on a region's normal climate. In the older system a wind chill warning for Southern Ontario and Atlantic Canada was issued when the wind chill dropped to -35. This meant that if the temperature was −37 °C (−35 °F) with no wind a warning was not issued. Under the new system the extreme cold warning is issued based on either the temperature or the wind chill being a certain value for at least two hours. The values range from −30 °C (−22 °F) in the south to −55 °C (−67 °F) in parts of the Arctic. [3] [4]

Sample Wind Chill Warning

The following is an example of a Wind Chill Warning issued by the National Weather Service office in Detroit, Michigan. [5]

063  WWUS43 KDTX 042112 WSWDTX  URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI 412 PM EST SUN FEB 4 2007  ...DANGEROUS ARCTIC AIRMASS TO CAUSE BITTERLY COLD WIND CHILLS...  .AN ARCTIC AIRMASS WILL REMAIN OVER SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN INTO THE EARLY PART OF THE WEEK. TEMPERATURES OVERNIGHT WILL DROP TO BETWEEN -5 AND -15 DEGREES. WINDS GUSTING TO NEARLY 25 MPH THIS AFTERNOON WILL DECREASE OVERNIGHT...BUT WILL CONTINUE TO BLOW AT SPEEDS OF 10 TO 15 MPH. SOME LOCALLY HIGHER GUSTS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE NEAR THE LAKE HURON SHORELINE. THE COMBINATION OF VERY COLD TEMPERATURES AND WINDS WILL PRODUCE WIND CHILL READINGS BETWEEN 20 AND 35 BELOW ZERO OVERNIGHT INTO EARLY MONDAY MORNING.   MIZ047>049-053>055-050515- /O.UPG.KDTX.WC.Y.0001.000000T0000Z-070205T1700Z/ /O.NEW.KDTX.WC.W.0001.070204T2112Z-070205T1700Z/ MIDLAND-BAY-HURON-SAGINAW-TUSCOLA-SANILAC- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MIDLAND...BAY CITY...BAD AXE... SAGINAW...CARO...SANDUSKY 412 PM EST SUN FEB 4 2007  ...WIND CHILL WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM EST MONDAY...  THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DETROIT/PONTIAC HAS ISSUED A WIND CHILL WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM EST MONDAY. THE WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.   TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE SAGINAW VALLEY AND NORTHERN THUMB WILL FALL TO AROUND 10 BELOW ZERO OVERNIGHT. THESE BITTERLY COLD TEMPERATURES WILL COMBINE WITH WINDS OF 10 TO 15 MPH TO CAUSE VERY LOW WIND CHILL READINGS NEAR 30 BELOW ZERO. SOME LOCALLY HIGHER WIND GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR THE LAKE HURON SHORELINE. WIND CHILLS VALUES WILL REMAIN NEAR 30 BELOW ZERO INTO MONDAY MORNING BEFORE TEMPERATURES START TO CLIMB.   A WIND CHILL WARNING MEANS THE COMBINATION OF VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL VALUES. THIS WILL RESULT IN FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. PERSONS SHOULD AVOID GOING OUTDOORS AND WEAR WARM PROTECTIVE CLOTHING IF THEY MUST VENTURE OUTSIDE.  $$ 

Sample PDS Wind Chill Warning

The following is an example of a particularly dangerous situation Wind Chill Warning issued by the National Weather Service office in Chanhassen, Minnesota. [6]

WWUS43 KMPX 050957 WSWMPX  URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 357 AM CST SUN JAN 5 2014  ...HISTORIC AND LIFE-THREATENING COLD AIR HAS ARRIVED... ...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION...  .THE COLDEST AIRMASS SINCE 1996 CONTINUES TO MOVE SOUTHEAST OUT OF CANADA AND INTO MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN. WIND CHILL VALUES WILL RANGE BETWEEN 30 AND 45 BELOW TODAY AND CONTINUE TO FALL THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. AIR TEMPERATURES TONIGHT WILL DROP INTO THE 20S AND 30S BELOW ZERO. GUSTY WEST OR NORTHWEST WINDS COMBINED WITH THESE EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES WILL PRODUCE WIND CHILLS OF 50  TO 65 BELOW ZERO LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY.  WIND CHILLS COLDER THAN 50 BELOW CAN CAUSE EXPOSED FLESH TO FREEZE IN ONLY 5 MINUTES. A WIND CHILL WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN THROUGH NOON TUESDAY.  THE GUSTY WINDS WILL ALSO BRING AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW TO MUCH OF THE AREA TODAY AND TONIGHT. WHERE GUSTS REACH 35 TO 45 MPH OVER WESTERN AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...VISIBILITIES MAY OCCASIONALLY BE REDUCED TO LESS THAN A HALF MILE IN NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. THIS WILL BRING AN ADDITIONAL LEVEL OF DANGER TO ANYONE STRANDED.  MNZ041-047-048-054>057-064-065-067-073>075-082>085-091>093-052115- /O.CON.KMPX.WC.W.0001.000000T0000Z-140107T1800Z/ DOUGLAS-STEVENS-POPE-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-KANDIYOHI- YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-SIBLEY-REDWOOD-BROWN-NICOLLET-WATONWAN- BLUE EARTH-WASECA-STEELE-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALEXANDRIA...MORRIS...GLENWOOD... MADISON...BENSON...MONTEVIDEO...WILLMAR...GRANITE FALLS... OLIVIA...GAYLORD...REDWOOD FALLS...NEW ULM...ST. PETER... ST. JAMES...MANKATO...WASECA...OWATONNA...FAIRMONT...BLUE EARTH... ALBERT LEA 357 AM CST SUN JAN 5 2014  ...WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY...  A WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY.   * THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION!  * WIND CHILL VALUES: 35 TO 65 BELOW...WITH THE COLDEST READINGS   TONIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING.  * IMPACTS: EXPOSED FLESH WILL FREEZE IN 10 MINUTES WITH WIND   CHILLS OF 35 BELOW...AND IN 5 MINUTES WITH WIND CHILLS OF 50   BELOW OR COLDER.  * OTHER IMPACTS...WINDS GUSTING BETWEEN 35 AND 45 MPH THIS   AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WILL LEAD TO BLOWING SNOW WITH   VISIBILITIES OCCASIONALLY DROPPING TO 1/2 MILE OR LESS IN NEAR   BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. SHOULD YOUR VEHICLE BECOME STRANDED...YOUR   LIFE WILL BE AT RISK. CONSIDER POSTPONING ALL TRAVEL.  PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...  A WIND CHILL WARNING MEANS THE COMBINATION OF VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL VALUES. THIS WILL RESULT IN FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA OR DEATH IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN.  &&  $$  MNZ042>045-049>053-058>063-066-068>070-076>078-WIZ014>016-023>028- 052115- /O.CON.KMPX.WC.W.0001.000000T0000Z-140107T1800Z/ TODD-MORRISON-MILLE LACS-KANABEC-STEARNS-BENTON-SHERBURNE-ISANTI- CHISAGO-MEEKER-WRIGHT-HENNEPIN-ANOKA-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON-MCLEOD- CARVER-SCOTT-DAKOTA-LE SUEUR-RICE-GOODHUE-POLK-BARRON-RUSK- ST. CROIX-PIERCE-DUNN-PEPIN-CHIPPEWA-EAU CLAIRE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LONG PRAIRIE...LITTLE FALLS... PRINCETON...MORA...ST. CLOUD...FOLEY...ELK RIVER...CAMBRIDGE... CENTER CITY...LITCHFIELD...MONTICELLO...MINNEAPOLIS...BLAINE... ST. PAUL...STILLWATER...HUTCHINSON...CHASKA...SHAKOPEE... BURNSVILLE...LE SUEUR...FARIBAULT...RED WING...AMERY... BALSAM LAKE...RICE LAKE...BARRON...LADYSMITH...HUDSON... NEW RICHMOND...RIVER FALLS...PRESCOTT...MENOMONIE...BOYCEVILLE... DURAND...PEPIN...CHIPPEWA FALLS...BLOOMER...EAU CLAIRE...ALTOONA 357 AM CST SUN JAN 5 2014  ...WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY...  A WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY.   * THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION!  * WIND CHILL VALUES: 35 TO 65 BELOW...WITH THE COLDEST READINGS   TONIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING.  * IMPACTS: EXPOSED FLESH WILL FREEZE IN 10 MINUTES WITH WIND   CHILLS OF 35 BELOW...AND IN 5 MINUTES WITH WIND CHILLS OF 50   BELOW OR COLDER.  * OTHER IMPACTS...AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW ARE POSSIBLE AS WINDS GUST   AS HIGH AS 35 MPH THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.  PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...  A WIND CHILL WARNING MEANS THE COMBINATION OF VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL VALUES. THIS WILL RESULT IN FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA OR DEATH IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN.  &&  $$  BORGHOFF 

See also

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Storm warning

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Severe weather terminology (United States) Terminology used by the National Weather Service to describe severe weather in the US

This article describes severe weather terminology used by the National Weather Service (NWS) in the United States. The NWS, a government agency operating as an arm of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) branch of the United States Department of Commerce (DoC), defines precise meanings for nearly all of its weather terms.

A red flag warning is a forecast warning issued by the National Weather Service in the United States to inform the public, firefighters, and land management agencies that conditions are ideal for wildland fire combustion, and rapid spread. After drought conditions, when humidity is very low, and especially when there are high or erratic winds which may include lightning as a factor, the Red Flag Warning becomes a critical statement for firefighting agencies. These agencies often alter their staffing and equipment resources dramatically to accommodate the forecast risk. To the public, a Red Flag Warning means high fire danger with increased probability of a quickly spreading vegetation fire in the area within 24 hours.

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A particularly dangerous situation (PDS) tag is enhanced wording first used by the Storm Prediction Center (SPC), a national guidance center of the United States National Weather Service, for tornado watches and eventually expanded to use for other severe weather watches and warnings by local NWS forecast offices. It is issued at the discretion of the forecaster composing the watch or warning and implies that there is an enhanced risk of very severe and life-threatening weather, usually a major tornado outbreak or a long-lived, extreme derecho event, but possibly another weather hazard such as an exceptional flash flood or fire.

A flash flood watch is issued by the National Weather Service when conditions are favorable for flash flooding in flood-prone areas, usually when grounds are already saturated from recent rains, or when upcoming rains will have the potential to cause a flash flood. These watches are also occasionally issued when a dam may break in the near future.

A blizzard warning is a hazardous weather statement issued by Weather Forecast Offices (WFO) of the National Weather Service (NWS) in the United States, which indicates heavy snowfall accompanied by sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph (16 m/s) or greater are forecast to occur for a minimum of three hours. A blizzard tends to reduce visibilities to 14 mile (400 m) or less. A Severe Blizzard Warning is a variation issued in some cases of winds above 45 mph (20 m/s) and temperatures below 10 °F (−12 °C). Most local weather offices will activate and broadcast the SAME alarm tone on relevant NOAA Weather Radio stations for both varieties of warning. When the Wireless Emergency Alerts system was launched in 2012, blizzard warnings were initially sent as alerts to mobile phones; this practice was discontinued in November 2013.

A blizzard watch was a bulletin issued by the National Weather Service of the United States which meant winds greater than 35 miles per hour, mixed with falling or blowing snow, and visibilities of 14 mile (0.4 km) or less is forecast for a period of 3 hours or more. A blizzard watch was issued 12 to 48 hours before an expected blizzard event. As the forecast solidifies, a blizzard watch would be either downgraded to a winter storm warning or winter weather advisory for blowing snow or upgraded to a blizzard warning.

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 crops. Farmers and gardeners should take action to protect their plants if a freeze warning is issued. A freeze warning is usually issued several hours after a freeze watch.

A lake wind advisory is issued by the United States National Weather Service local forecast offices when windy conditions on area lakes are expected to be hazardous for boaters and other recreational events on or around lakes.

A wind chill 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 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 varies from state to state, and areas prone to colder temperatures will often require the wind chill to be lower before issuing an advisory.

A wind chill watch is 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. 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.

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.

A Hazardous Seas Warning is issued by the National Weather Service of the United States when wave heights and/or wave steepness values reach certain criteria. These criteria are defined by the local forecast office. Such tall waves can pose a serious threat to vessels that do not seek shelter.

A wind advisory is generally issued by the National Weather Service of the United States when there are sustained winds of 31–39 miles per hour (50–63 km/h) and/or gusts of 46–57 miles per hour (74–92 km/h) over land. Winds over the said cap will trigger high wind alerts rather than an advisory. The advisory is site specific, but winds of this magnitude occurring over an area that frequently experiences such wind speeds will not trigger a wind advisory.

An extreme cold warning is issued by Environment Canada to inform the public about cold temperatures in their region that are expected to last for at least two hours.

References

  1. National Weather Service. "Wind Chill Warning". Glossary - National Weather Service. Retrieved May 18, 2011.
  2. National Weather Service. "Iowa Environmental Mesonet NWS Product Archive" . Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  3. Environment Canada. "Wind Chill Hazzards". Archived from the original on December 17, 2005.
  4. Extreme Cold Warning
  5. National Weather Service. "Wind Chill Warning". Iowa Environmental Mesonet NWS Product Archive. Retrieved May 18, 2011.
  6. National Weather Service. "PDS Wind Chill Warning". Iowa Environmental Mesonet NWS Product Archive. Retrieved May 18, 2011.