Winter Storm Warning(WSW, WWUS44)
Definition
Winter storm warnings are issued when more than one type of hazardous winter weather is occurring, imminent, or highly likely over part or all of the forecast area. Winter storm warnings are normally issued for the first period of the forecast but can be extended into the second period. They are reissued whenever there is a change to the timing, areal extent, or expected condition.
Winter Storm Warnings will include the following information...
- Affected area,
- Potential snowfall amounts, ice accumulations, wind chill, etc.,
- Timing of the event (beginning, ending, time of heaviest precipitation or worst conditions, duration, etc.),
- Reason the warning was issued,
- Precautions, call to action statements, potential impact.
- Definition of a warning (particularly if event has not yet begun), and
- Safety rules, call to action statements.
Whenever winter storm warnings are in effect, SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENTS will be issued at least with each forecast package. These statements will include the current warning information, updated weather details, and call to action statements.
Example (more than one type of winter weather expected to occur)
FTWWSWFTW
TTAAOO KFTW 231017
TXZO91>095-101>107-115>122-231200-
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
415 AM CST THU DEC 23 1999
...A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHERN HALF OF NORTH TEXAS
THROUGH TONIGHT...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM
WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT FOR THE NORTHERN HALF OF NORTH TEXAS. THE
WARNING AREA IS NORTH OF A LINE FROM COLEMAN TO CARTHAGE. THE CITIES OF
DALLAS/FORT WORTH...SHERMAN AND PARIS ARE INCLUDED IN THE WARNING.
AT 400 AM THIS MORNING...ARCTIC AIR WAS POURING INTO NORTH TEXAS AND
TEMPERATURES WERE FALLING RAPIDLY INTO THE 20S. ADDITIONALLY...A STRONG
UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM HAD MOVED INTO THE PERMIAN BASIN AND WAS
SPREADING HEAVY SNOW INTO THAT REGION OF THE STATE. AT 400 AM...MIDLAND HAD
7 INCHES OF SNOW ON THE GROUND WITH VISIBILITIES OF 1/4 MILE IN HEAVY SNOW
AND BLOWING SNOW. THE SNOW HAD MOVED AS FAR EAST AS ABILENE AT 400 AM AND
WILL OVERSPREAD THE ER OF THE WARNING AREA BY MIDDAY.
SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 6 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE WARNING AREA
BY TONIGHT...WITH ISOLATED 8 INCH AMOUNTS POSSIBLE ALONG THE RED RIVER.
TEMPERATURES WILL HOVER IN THE LOWER TO MID 20S...AND WIND CHILL VALUES WILL
FALL TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES.
HOLIDAY TRAVELERS ARE URGED TO RECONSIDER TRAVEL PLANS ACROSS NORTH
TEXAS TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL REDUCE
VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN 1/4 MILE AT TIMES...MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY
HAZARDOUS. IF TRAVEL IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY...BE SURE TO PACK SURVIVAL
EQUIPMENT SUCH AS A RADIO..BLANKETS...WATER...CANDLES...AND FOOD.
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE NEWS SOURCE FOR FURTHER
STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS DANGEROUS WINTER STORM. |
Example (only one type of winter weather expected to occur but with different criteria)
FTWWSWFTW
TTAAOO KFTW 231017
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1230 PM CST WED DEC 15 1999
...A HEAVY SNOW WARNING IN EFFECT TONIGHT ALONG AND WEST OF A EASTLAND...
JACKSBORO LINE. A SNOW ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH ALONG AND NORTHWEST OF
A COMANCHE...DALLAS...SHERMAN LINE...
.A STRONG WINTER STORM WILL MOVE FROM WEST TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO INTO THE
SOUTHERN PLAINS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT BRUSHING THE NORTHWEST
HALF OF NORTH TEXAS. WHILE THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL OCCUR IN THE TEXAS
PANHANDLE AND CENTRAL OKLAHOMA...A FEW LOCATIONS IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS
COULD RECEIVE UP TO 8 INCHES OF SNOW OVERNIGHT.
CONDITIONS WILL QUICKLY DETERIORATE THIS EVENING ACROSS THE WARNING/ADVISORY
AREA MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS AFTER MIDNIGHT. YOU NEED TO COMPLETE
ANY NECESSARY TRAVEL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TODAY BEFORE THE ROADS BECOME
HAZARDOUS. THE HEAVY SNOW WILL TAPER OFF TO FLURRIES AROUND DAYBREAK
THURSDAY...ENDING AROUND NOON.
IF YOU NEED TO TRAVEL THIS OVERNIGHT...TAKE EXTREME CAUTION IN REACHING
DESTINATIONS AS ROADS AND OVERPASSES WILL BECOME SLICK AND HAZARDOUS LATER
TONIGHT. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE NEWS SOURCE FOR
FURTHER STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS DANGEROUS WINTER STORM.
TXZ100-101-115-116-129-161200-
EASTLAND-JACK-PALO PINTO-STEPHENS-YOUNG-
1230 PM CST WED DEC 15 1999
...HEAVY SNOW WARNING TONIGHT...
LIGHT SNOW WILL BEING TO FALL AROUND 600 PM WITH LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS...
UP TO ONE INCH. AFTER MIDNIGHT...THE SNOW FALL WILL RAPIDLY INCREASE WITH
ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES POSSIBLE BY DAYBREAK
THURSDAY. THE SNOW WILL TAPER TO FLURRIES THURSDAY MORNING. THE SNOW WILL
MAKE TRAVEL TREACHEROUS. EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION IF TRAVEL IS NECESSARY.
$$
TXZO91>093-102>104-117>120-130>133-141-161200-
COLLIN-COMANCHE-COOKE-DALLAS-DENTON-ERATH-GRAYSON-HOOD-MONTAGUE-PARKER-
TARRANT-WISE-
1230 PM CST WED DEC 15 1999
..SNOW ADVISORY TONIGHT...
FLURRIES ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN AROUND MID-EVENING AND INCREASE AROUND
MIDNIGHT. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS UP TO THREE INCHES ARE EXPECTED
NORTHWEST OF A COMANCHE...SHERMAN LINE WITH ONLY TRACE TO ONE INCH AMOUNTS
EXPECTED IN THE METROPLEX. EVEN WITH THESE LIGHT AMOUNTS...BRIDGES...
OVERPASSES AND ROADS WILL BECOME SLICK AND HAZARDOUS.
$$
82
|
|