National Weather Service revises watch, warning and advisory products for cold

Hazard Simplification project seeks to simplify weather messaging

Cold weather can be deadly – people exposed to extreme cold are susceptible to frostbite and can succumb to hypothermia in minutes. So as we prepare for the frigid wind chills and sub-freezing temperatures that winter can bring, NOAA’s National Weather Service is simplifying a suite of cold weather forecast products to improve messaging of winter hazards and provide better decision support.

This effort is part of the Hazard Simplification initiative which integrates public and partner engagements and social science research to improve and evolve our alerting system.

The following changes will take place on Oct. 1:

Extreme Cold Consolidation and Renaming

• Wind Chill Watches will be renamed to an Extreme Cold Watch
• Wind Chill Warnings will be renamed to an Extreme Cold Warning
• Wind Chill Advisory will be renamed a Cold Weather Advisory

Freeze Consolidation

• Hard Freeze Watches will be renamed to a Freeze Watch
• Hard Freeze Warnings will be consolidated to a Freeze Warning

These changes seek to clarify that cold can be dangerous with or without wind, addressing a common misconception that extreme cold is only tied to colder temperatures when there is wind. Dangerously cold weather can accompany or follow wintry precipitation, and the cold messaging can be overshadowed by the wintry precipitation.

An official Service Change Notification was released on March 26, 2024 announcing our intent to roll-out these changes on the first day of October.

NOAA will release its official Winter Outlook on October 17, 2024.

Resources:

Extreme Cold Consolidation Fact Sheet

NWS Partners and Users Cold Product Suite Changes Webinar (Recording | Slides)

Media Contact: Michael Musher, NWS Public Affairs, michael.musher@noaa.gov