PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 600 AM MDT TUE OCT 21 2003 ...WHAT DOES THAT WARNING MEAN?... WINTER IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER... WHEN A WARNING IS ISSUED WILL YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS, AND WHAT TO DO? DURING THIS COLORADO WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS WEEK...REVIEW THE CRITERIA OF NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES. THIS LIST HAS THE WATCH, WARNING AND ADVISORY CRITERIA FOR COLORADO EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. SAVE THIS LIST FOR USE THROUGHOUT THE WINTER. CRITERIA WEST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE WILL BE PROVIDED TODAY BY THE GRAND JUNCTION OFFICE. HEAVY SNOW CRITERIA FOR EASTERN AND CENTRAL COLORADO ARE REPRESENTATIVE VALUES APPLIED OVER A LARGE GEOGRAPHIC AREA: MOUNTAINS: 8 INCHES OF SNOW IN 12 HOURS 10 OR MORE INCHES IN 24 HOURS. LOWER ELEVATIONS: 6 INCHES OF SNOW IN 12 HOURS 8 OR MORE INCHES IN 24 HOURS . WINTER WATCHES/ WARNINGS A WINTER STORM WATCH IS ISSUED WHEN WINTER STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE NEXT 12 TO 36 HOURS, BUT THE TIMING...INTENSITY...OR OCCURRENCE MAY STILL BE UNCERTAIN. IT RARELY WILL BE ISSUED FOR THE FOURTH FORECAST PERIOD (36 TO 48 HOURS). A WINTER STORM WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN HEAVY SNOW IS OCCURRING OR WILL DEVELOP IN THE NEXT 18 HOURS. THE HEAVY SNOW MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY WIND AND BLOWING SNOW. A BLIZZARD WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR AT LEAST 3 HOURS: SUSTAINED WINDS OF 35 MPH OR GREATER WITH CONSIDERABLE FALLING AND/OR DRIFTING SNOW LOWERING VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN 1/4 MILE. A HIGH WIND WARNING IS ISSUED FOR THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: SUSTAINED WINDS OF 50 MPH FOR AT LEAST 1 HOUR, OR GUSTS TO 75 MPH FOR ANY DURATION IN THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 40 MPH FOR AT LEAST 1 HOUR, OR GUSTS TO 58 MPH FOR ANY DURATION AT LOWER ELEVATIONS AWAY FROM THE FOOTHILLS. 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 (6 TO 12 HOURS) IF THE POTENTIAL FOR HIGH WIND EXISTS, BUT THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW IS ISSUED WHEN GENERAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED: BETWEEN 4 AND 8 INCHES IN 12 HOURS IN THE MOUNTAINS...AND BETWEEN 3 AND 6 INCHES IN 12 HOURS AT LOWER ELEVATIONS. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW IS ISSUED WHEN FALLING SNOW IS ACCOMPANIED BY BLOWING SNOW TO CAUSE TRAVEL PROBLEMS DUE TO LOWER VISIBILITIES AND DRIFTING SNOW. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR BLOWING SNOW IS ISSUED WHEN WIND BLOWN SNOW WILL OCCASIONALLY REDUCE VISIBILITIES AND CREATE A HAZARD FOR TRAVELERS. OTHER ADVISORIES AND WARNINGS A DENSE FOG ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN WIDESPREAD FOG WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO 1/4 MILE OR LESS. A WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN WIND AND TEMPERATURE COMBINE TO PRODUCE WIND CHILL VALUES OF 18 DEGREES BELOW ZERO TO 25 DEGREES BELOW ZERO. A WIND CHILL WARNING WILL BE ISSUED FOR WIND CHILLS OF AT LEAST -25 DEGREES ON THE PLAINS, AND -35 DEGREES IN THE MOUNTAINS. THIS WEEK IS WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS WEEK IN COLORADO. NOW IS THE TIME TO GET PREPARED FOR WINTER WEATHER. PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED THROUGHOUT THE WEEK TO GIVE SAFETY INFORMATION...AND HELP YOU KNOW HOW TO RESPOND WHEN WINTER WEATHER THREATENS. GLANCY.. WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST...BOULDER |
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder Weather Forecast Office 325 Broadway Boulder, CO 80305-3328 w-den.webmaster@noaa.gov |
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy |