What You Need To Know
- NWS is consolidating cold weather alerts
- Cold is cold and can be dangerous with or without wind
- The changes are already in effect
National Weather Service Simplifies Cold Weather Messaging
The National Weather Service (NWS) is taking steps to simplify cold weather messaging and alerts this winter. As part of their hazard simplification initiative, the NWS is consolidating cold weather alerts to make watches and warnings easier to understand.
New Alert System
Hard Freeze and Wind Chill alerts will no longer be used and instead be merged into existing alerts. Specifically:
* Hard Freeze Watches and Warnings will now be combined with Freeze Watches and Warnings.
* Wind Chill Advisories, Watches and Warnings will be combined with Extreme Cold Advisories, Watches and Warnings.
Why the Change?
According to the National Weather Service, “cold is cold.” It can be dangerous with or without wind. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the wind chill or temperature that makes the cold particularly dangerous, so they don’t want to overshadow that messaging. This change will simplify and improve communication.
Benefits of the New System
Combining these products will also make maps easier to understand with fewer types of alerts in effect at the same time. These changes have already taken effect.
Conclusion
The National Weather Service’s goal is to provide clear and concise information to the public during cold weather events. By consolidating alerts, they aim to reduce confusion and make it easier for people to stay safe during extreme cold snaps.
