Hazard Simplification - Flood Watches and Advisories

Changes are coming to NWS hydrology products. They were implemented at NWS Milwaukee on Nov 15. You'll notice it the next time we issue any of these products.

Why?

The NWS wants to simplify the communication of information and improve the understanding and utility of forecasts and warnings.

This is part of a larger hazard simplification project and there will be changes to other weather products over the next few years.

Flash Flood Watch and Flood Watch will be consolidated to Flood Watch*.

* Flash Flood Watches will still be issued due to possibility of flash flooding due to possible dam failure

Urban and Small Stream Flood Advisory, Small Stream Flood Advisory, Flood Advisory, Hydrologic Advisory will be consolidated to Flood Advisory

The wording within the Flood Watch/Warning, River Flood Watch/Warning, and Flood Advisory will be reformatted with What, Where, When, Impacts, Additional Details. This has already been done for Flash Flood Warnings.