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