Have you ever been listening to the news and heard winter storm warnings and not know exactly what to expect?  How can we expect to be emergency preparedness experts if we don’t know exactly what to prepare for? In an effort to make sure that everyone is prepared for the inbound winter storms and weather, we put together a list of the most common terms that you can expect to hear on the radio or weather report.

First off, it is good to know the different levels of warnings that may come from the National Weather Service.

Outlook – This is the lowest level of warning.  An outlook means that hazardous weather may develop at some point over the next 7 days, with the emphasis being on the next 24-48 hours.

Advisory – This warning comes for “less serious” conditions that may cause significant inconvenience, but property and life are not truly threatened unless you are not using any caution at all. 

Watch – If a watch is issued, it is time to get serious about being ready for a storm.  This warning level implies that a major storm is happening, imminent, or very likely to occur with the 36 hours.

Warning – At the warning level, personal life and property may be threatened by the storm.  It is time to take protective measures and get out of the way of the storm. Get inside, have a warm fire and nice mug of hot chocolate.

Now that you know the levels of storm warnings, it is good to know exactly what is implied by some of the specific types of storms. Any of these below terms can and will be combined with the aforementioned warning levels, for example, you could see a Winter Weather Watch or Winter Weather Warning, depending on the severity of the winter weather.

Winter Weather – The oncoming weather will be a combination of at least two of the following conditions: snow, sleet, blowing snow, high winds, wind chill, extreme cold and freezing rain or hail.

Blizzard – Blizzards are classified as sustained winds or frequent gusts of at least 35 mph combined with heavy falling and/or blowing snows that reduces visibility to ¼ mile or less and last for a period of three hours or longer.  Typically, these types of storms create sub-zero (anytime temperature falls below -18°C) wind chills and are very dangerous.

Ice Storm – Heavy accumulations of freezing rain or ice.  An advisory usually means less than ¼ inch, whereas a warning will mean at least ¼ to ½ inches worth of freezing rain.

Lake Effect Snow – This storm is heavy lake-effect snowfall in short periods of time.  If a warning is issued, expect 6 inches within 12 hours or 8-10 inches within 24 hours.  Oftentimes, lake-effect snow can significantly reduce visibility.

Wind Chill or Extreme Cold – A strictly temperature weather condition, an advisory level warning means it is very cold outside whereas a warning indicates that dangerously low temperatures are happening and frostbite, hypothermia, and death are possible if exposed for too long.

You may hear of some other types of weather conditions that also get warnings issued, such as Heavy Snow, Sleet, or Blowing Snow. Pay attention to the level of warning that is issued, and you will have a good idea of how serious the weather could potentially be.

Getting prepared and ready for the winter storms isn’t too complicated.  As always, we would encourage you to have some emergency food on hand, in case you are stuck inside for a couple of days.  By knowing what the National Weather Service warnings mean and by having some survival supplies and gear stored away, you will be able to get through the worst storms of the winter. We also recommend that you have a couple of good movies or books on hand too!

Tags: emergency food, Emergency Preparedness

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