NWS Dallas/Fort Worth Public/Media Guide - Winter Storm Watch Frame

<body bgcolor="#ffffff" leftmargin="0" topmargin="0"> <table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" border="0"> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td width="10"> </td> <td align="left"><span class="white">National Weather Service</span></td> <td align="right"><span class="white">Dallas/Fort Worth</span></td> <td width="10"> </td> </tr> </table> <div align="center"><table width="90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"> <tr><td><div align="center"><br><h3>Winter Storm Watch</h3>(WSW, WWUS44)</div> <h4>Definition</h4> A <b>winter storm watch</b> is issued when conditions are favorable for hazardous winter weather conditions to develop over part or all of the forecast area in the next 6-36 hours, <b>but the occurrence is still uncertain</b>. A watch may be continued from a previous forecast into the latter part of the first period of the next routinely issued forecast if the onslaught of the hazardous winter weather event is still uncertain. Watches will be reissued whenever there is a change in the timing, areal extent, or expected conditions.<br><br> Due to the uncertainty of the type(s) of winter weather associated with a winter weather, watches will be headlined with a generic <b>WINTER STORM WATCH</b> phrase and include the following information...<br><br> <ul> <li>Affected area,</li> <li>Reason watch was issued,</li> <li>Potential snowfall amounts, ice accumulations,</li> <li>Explanation of a watch and the uncertainty involved, and</li> <li>Precautions, call to action statements, potential impact.</li> </ul> Whenever winter storm watches are in effect, <b>SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENTS</b> will be issued at least with each forecast package. These statements will include the current watch information, updated weather details, and call to action statements. <b>Winter storm watches either evolve into winter storm warnings or advisories, or they are canceled</b>. <br><br> <h4>Example</h4> <div align="center"><table width="430" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" border="1" bgcolor="#eaeaea"> <tr> <td><pre> FTWWSWFTW TTAAOO KFTW 221223 TXZO91>095-101>107-115>122-221200-221800- WINTER STORM WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 615 AM CST WED DEC 22 1999 ...WINTER STORM WATCH FOR THE NORTHERN HALF OF NORTH TEXAS TOMORROW AND TOMORROW NIGHT... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A STORM WATCH FOR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT FOR THE NORTHERN HALF OF NORTH THE WATCH AREA IS NORTH OF A LINE FROM COLEMAN TO CARTHAGE. THE CITIES OF DALLAS FORT WORTH AND PARIS ARE INCLUDED IN THE WATCH. A BITTERLY COLD ARCTIC AIR MASS IS CURRENTLY PLOWING THROUGH THE CENTRAL PLAINS AND WILL MOVE INTO NORTH TEXAS LATE TONIGHT. TEMPERATURES WELL FALL BELOW FREEZING BY TOMORROW MORNING AND WILL NOT RISE OUT OF THE 20S ALL DAY. A VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL STORM WILL MOVE OUT OF NEW MEXICO AND INTO WEST TONIGHT...SPREADING SNOW INTO THE PANHANDLE AND PERMIAN BASIN. THE STORM WILL LIKELY MOVE ACROSS NORTH TEXAS TOMORROW AND TOMORROW NIGHT AS TEMPERATURES HOVER IN THE LOWER TO MID 20S. SNOW MAY BEGIN TO ACCUMULATE ACROSS NORTH TEXAS BY FRIDAY MORNING...MAKING HOLIDAY TRAVEL HAZARDOUS. SNOW AMOUNTS MAY TOTAL 3 TO 5 INCHES ACROSS NORTH TEXAS NEAR THE RED RIVER. PLAN ACCORDINGLY IF YOU ARE TRAVELLING ACROSS NORTH TEXAS TOMORROW AND TOMORROW NIGHT. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE NEWS SOURCE FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.</pre></td> </tr> </table></div><br><br> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">NWS Dallas/Fort Worth: <a href="../fwd/">Home</a> | <a href="../fwd/forecast.htm">Forecasts</a> | <a href="../fwd/currentwx.html">Current Weather</a> | <a href="http://weather.noaa.gov/radar/national.html">Radar</a> | <a href="http://204.185.136.10/awc/aviation_weather_center.html">Aviation</a> | <a href="../fwd/skywarn.html">Preparedness</a><br> <a href="../fwd/lakes.htm">Hydrology & River Info</a> | <a href="../fwd/radio.html">NOAA Weather Radio</a> | <a href="../fwd/ntexclima.html">Climat Data</a> </td> </tr> </table> <br><br> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1" width="100%" border="0" bgcolor="#000000"> <tr align="center"> <td width="2%"> </td> <td align="left" width="30%"><b><span class="white">Winter Storm Watch</span></b></td> <td width="5%"><a onmouseover="act('fb')" onmouseout="inact('fb')" href="winterf.htm"><img src="../images/fboff.gif" alt="Winter Weather Introduction" width="23" height="23" border="0" name="fb"></a></td> <td width="1%"> </td> <td width="5%"><a onmouseover="act('b')" onmouseout="inact('b')" href="wsoutlookf.htm"><img src="../images/boff.gif" alt="Winter Storm Outlook" width="23" height="23" border="0" name="b"></a></td> <td width="1%"> </td> <td width="6%"><a onmouseover="act('co')" onmouseout="inact('co')" href="../contents.htm"><img src="../images/cooff.gif" alt="Table of Contents" width="23" height="23" border="0" name="co"></a></td> <td width="1%"> </td> <td width="5%"><a onmouseover="act('f')" onmouseout="inact('f')" href="wswarnf.htm"><img src="../images/foff.gif" alt="Winter Storm Warning" width="23" height="23" border="0" name="f"></a></td> <td width="1%"> </td> <td width="5%"><a onmouseover="act('ff')" onmouseout="inact('ff')" href="../npw/npwf.htm"><img src="../images/ffoff.gif" alt="Non-Precipitation Weather" width="23" height="23" border="0" name="ff"></a></td> <td align="right" width="30%"><b><span class="white">Winter Weather Products</span></b></td> <td width="2%"> </td> </tr> </table> </div> </body>