The National Weather Service sees the potential for severe weather and a stream of weather information flows from the National Weather Service forecast offices to you.
Each National Weather Service forecast office has a web site, a facebook page and a twitter feed where you can find graphical weather stories which highlight upcoming weather hazards. The Hazardous Weather Outlook, a text product, it is also available which highlights weather hazards sometimes seven days in advance.
The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma also forecasts the chance for severe weather across the country several days in advance. These outlooks will tell you if there is a chance for severe weather and if you are in a slight risk, moderate risk or high risk area for severe weather.
If severe weather becomes likely within six hours a watch will be issued alerting you to the increased risk for severe weather. If you are in or close to the watch area you should plan where to go for shelter if severe weather occurs. If high wind is a threat tying down or bringing loose objects indoors would be a wise move. If large hail is a threat protecting your vehicle would be a good idea.
Then forecasters at the local National Weather Service office will monitor satellite and radar data and collaborate with severe weather spotters. Forecasters will issue warnings to alert you of the imminent severe weather threat. The warnings are sent out in many different ways in order to reach the most people possible.
A warning is an urgent message telling you that severe weather or flooding is imminent or is occurring. Warnings are usually issued for an area smaller than a county.
A severe thunderstorm warning is issued for wind gusts of 58 MPH or higher or for hail one inch in diameter or larger.
A tornado warning is issued when a tornado is imminent or occurring.
A flash flood warning is issued for rapidly developing life threatening flooding.
Before and during severe weather you can receive watches, warnings and advisories on NOAA all hazards weather radio.
Most weather radio receivers have a built in tone alert which is activated by the national weather service when watches and warnings are issued. You will also see warnings on the internet, your smartphone with wireless emergency alert (WEA) messages or hear them on your local radio or television stations.
Do not be caught off guard. Know how to receive watch and warning information and know what to do when severe weather threatens. Specific safety information will be available each day of this Colorado Severe Weather Awareness Week.
This guest blog written by Tom Magnuson, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, National Weather Service, Pueblo, Colorado.
Showing posts with label warning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label warning. Show all posts
Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Awareness Week: March 16-22
Flood and wildfire season is approaching: Know your risks, Make your plans, and Improve your outcome.
The Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and our READYColorado program have joined the National Weather Service's Colorado forecast offices to share information that will make those living and visiting Colorado more prepared. Visit our COEmergency.com and READYColorado.com websites each day to learn more on floods and wildfires. Here is the first preparedness blog written by Tom Magnuson, Warning Coordination Meteorologist,
National Weather Service Pueblo
The National Weather Service wants everyone to be part of a
Weather Ready Nation. Colorado has more
than its fair share of floods, flash floods and wildfires. You should be Weather Ready and know how to
stay safe when floods and wildfires affect your area.
Governor Hickenlooper has proclaimed this week, March 16 –
22, as Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Awareness Week. Now is the time to learn about flood and
wildfire risks in Colorado and to develop your plans to improve your outcome.
Floodprone areas have been identified in over 250 cities and
towns and in all of the 64 counties in Colorado. Over 250,000 people live in floodplains in
Colorado. There are estimated to be
65,000 homes and 15,000 commercial, industrial and business structures in
identified floodplains. There are likely
many more structures located within unmapped flood hazard areas. The value of the property, structures and
contents located in the identified floodplains is estimated to be nearly $15
billion.
Floods and flash floods have killed over 400 people in
Colorado since the turn of the 20th Century. The historic weather pattern of September
2013 reminds us all that floods are a major concern across the Centennial
state. Floods have caused billions of
dollars of damage in Colorado.
On average 2500 wildfires occur across Colorado each
year. Since 2013 eight people have been
killed when wildfires occurred in the wildland urban interface (WUI).
The National Weather Service forecast offices which service
Colorado will issue a series of public information statements during this Flood
Safety and Wildfire Awareness Week covering the following topics:
- Sunday: Introduction to the Week
- Monday: Flood Watches and Warnings
- Tuesday: River Floods
- Wednesday: Flash Floods
- Thursday: Fire Forecasts, Watches and Warnings
- Friday: Wildfire Safety and Mitigation
- Saturday: Review of the Week
More information on floods and wildfires is available at
your local National Weather Service websites:
What Does that Warning Mean: 2013 Colorado Winter Weather Preparedness Week
The National Weather Service will inform you about developing hazardous weather with Outlooks, Watches, Warnings, and Advisories. Now is the time to get ready for winter weather, during this Colorado Winter Weather Preparedness Week.
This list has the Watch, Warning, and Advisory criteria for Colorado east of the Continental Divide. Safe this list for use throughout the winter. Criteria west of the Continental Divide will be provided later today by the Grand Junction Office.
Heavy snow criteria for eastern and central Colorado are representative values applied over a large geographic area:
A Winter Storm Warning is issued when heavy snow is occurring or will develop in the next 36 hours. the heavy snow may be accompanied by wind greater than 15 mph and blowing snow.
A Blizzard Watch is issued when blizzard conditions are possible in the next 12 to 36 hours.
A Blizzard Warning is issued in lower elevations when the following conditions are expected for at least three hours:
A Wind Chill Watch is issued when wind chill warning criteria are possible in the next 12 to 36 hours.
A Wind Chill Warning is issued for wind chills of at least minus 25 degrees on the plains and minus 35 degrees in the mountains and foothills.
A Freeze Watch is issued when freeze conditions are possible in the next 12 to 36 hours.
A Freeze Warning is issued during the growing season when widespread temperatures are expected to drop to below 32 degrees.
A High Wind Watch is issued when high wind conditions are expected to develop in the next 12 to 36 hours. Sometimes it will be issued late in the first forecast period, six to 12 hours, if the potential for high wind exists, but there is some uncertainty.
A High Wind Warning is issued for the following conditions:
A Wind Chill Advisory is issued on the plains when wind and temperature combine to produce wind chill values of minus 18 degrees to minus 25 degrees.
A Wind Chill Advisory is issued for the mountains and foothills when wind and temperature combine to produce wind chill values of minus 25 degrees.
A Frost Advisory is issued during the growing season when temperatures are expected to drop to between 32 and 35 degrees on clear calm nights.
A Blowing Dust Advisory is issued when blowing dust reduces visibilities to between a uarter of a mile and a mile.
This week is Winter Weather Preparedness Week in Colorado. Public information statements will be issued throughout the week to give safety information and help you know how to respond when winter weather threatens.
This guest blog written by Bob Glancy, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, National Weather Service, Boulder.
This list has the Watch, Warning, and Advisory criteria for Colorado east of the Continental Divide. Safe this list for use throughout the winter. Criteria west of the Continental Divide will be provided later today by the Grand Junction Office.
Heavy snow criteria for eastern and central Colorado are representative values applied over a large geographic area:
- Mountains: Eight inches of snow in 12 hours or 12 or more inches of snow in 24 hours.
- Lower Elevations: Six inches of snow in 12 hours or eight or more inches in 24 hours.
Winter Watches and Warnings
A Winter Storm Watch is issued when winter storm conditions are possible within the next three days, but the timing, intensity, or occurrence may still be uncertain.A Winter Storm Warning is issued when heavy snow is occurring or will develop in the next 36 hours. the heavy snow may be accompanied by wind greater than 15 mph and blowing snow.
A Blizzard Watch is issued when blizzard conditions are possible in the next 12 to 36 hours.
A Blizzard Warning is issued in lower elevations when the following conditions are expected for at least three hours:
- Sustained winds of 35 mph or greater.
- Considerable falling and or drifting snow lowering visibilities to less than one-quarter mile.
A Wind Chill Watch is issued when wind chill warning criteria are possible in the next 12 to 36 hours.
A Wind Chill Warning is issued for wind chills of at least minus 25 degrees on the plains and minus 35 degrees in the mountains and foothills.
A Freeze Watch is issued when freeze conditions are possible in the next 12 to 36 hours.
A Freeze Warning is issued during the growing season when widespread temperatures are expected to drop to below 32 degrees.
A High Wind Watch is issued when high wind conditions are expected to develop in the next 12 to 36 hours. Sometimes it will be issued late in the first forecast period, six to 12 hours, if the potential for high wind exists, but there is some uncertainty.
A High Wind Warning is issued for the following conditions:
- Sustained winds of 50 mph for at least one hour or gusts to 75 mph for any duration in the mountains and foothills.
- Sustained winds of 40 mph for at least one hour or gusts to 58 mph for any duration at lower elevations away from the foothills.
Advisories
A Winter Weather Advisory is issued:- When general snow accumulations are expected between four and eight inches in 12 hours in the mountains and foothills and between three and six inches in 12 hours at lower elevations.
- When falling snow is accompanied by blowing snow to cause travel problems due to lower visibilities.
- When wind blown snow will occasionally reduce visibilities and create a hazard for travelers.
- For freezing drizzle or a mix of precipitation types, such as snow and sleet, that will impact travel conditions.
A Wind Chill Advisory is issued on the plains when wind and temperature combine to produce wind chill values of minus 18 degrees to minus 25 degrees.
A Wind Chill Advisory is issued for the mountains and foothills when wind and temperature combine to produce wind chill values of minus 25 degrees.
A Frost Advisory is issued during the growing season when temperatures are expected to drop to between 32 and 35 degrees on clear calm nights.
A Blowing Dust Advisory is issued when blowing dust reduces visibilities to between a uarter of a mile and a mile.
This week is Winter Weather Preparedness Week in Colorado. Public information statements will be issued throughout the week to give safety information and help you know how to respond when winter weather threatens.
This guest blog written by Bob Glancy, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, National Weather Service, Boulder.
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