National Weather Service changes cold weather alerts

Just when I finally understood various weather alerts, the National Weather Service (NWS) is making changes. (Brace yourselves, fellow RVers!) The NWS announced this week that it is changing how it issues cold weather alerts. This is part of an ongoing effort to simplify public safety communications. (Do we really need simplification? Asking for a friend.)

Starting this fall and winter, wind chill alerts and hard freeze warnings will be streamlined into broader cold weather advisories, watches and warnings. These updates are part of the NWS’s broader Hazard Simplification initiative, which aims to make it easier for people to understand weather alerts and take appropriate action. (Hmm. Understand weather alerts?)

What’s changing?

As part of these changes, wind chill watches, warnings, and advisories will be replaced with more generalized alerts for extreme cold. The idea behind this shift is to communicate that cold is dangerous, regardless of whether the wind is a factor. (Just in case you didn’t already know that cold temperatures are dangerous and may necessitate a heated water hose for your RV.)

So, instead of seeing specific wind chill warnings, you’ll see “extreme cold” watches or warnings. These alerts will still include information about wind chill, but the focus will now be on the overall risk of dangerously cold temperatures.

Another change is the elimination of hard freeze watches and warnings. Instead, regular freeze alerts will cover both freeze and hard freeze conditions. So, if temperatures are expected to drop to the point where it could significantly harm vegetation or damage pipes, you’ll still receive a freeze watch or warning, but it will include details about how severe the freeze is. (Okaaay. I think I understand.)

Why the changes?

This simplification effort stems from feedback gathered from the public, meteorologists, and social scientists. (Notice that RVers didn’t provide feedback. That’s because we already understood the previous alert system.)

These changes follow a similar move in 2017 when winter precipitation alerts were consolidated to reduce confusion. The goal is to make the NWS cold weather alerts more user-friendly and to ensure that important weather information is easily understood.

According to the NWS, “The new Cold Product Suite will allow us to communicate that cold is dangerous, with or without wind. Wind chill won’t disappear, but the emphasis is on ‘cold is cold,’ regardless of the conditions.” (Cold is cold and is dangerous. Glad they cleared that up!) 

What to expect

• Extreme cold watches. These will be issued when dangerously cold temperatures or wind chills are a possibility. If you see an extreme cold watch, it means you should prepare for freezing conditions by dressing warmly and taking steps to protect yourself and your home or RV.
• Extreme cold warnings. When the danger is imminent or already happening, an extreme cold warning will be issued. This means you should dress in layers, cover any exposed skin, and limit time spent outdoors (unless your RV is parked in Florida, Arizona, or South Texas).
• Cold weather advisories. These will be issued when cold conditions are expected but they aren’t severe enough to be classified as extreme cold. Even though the cold might not be life-threatening, you’ll still want to bundle up and avoid unnecessary exposure to the elements.

Freeze alerts

The NWS will also continue issuing freeze watches and warnings. A freeze watch is announced when temperatures are likely to hit 32 degrees or lower. A freeze warning comes when those conditions are either expected or happening. When temperatures dip to 28 degrees or below, it’s called a hard freeze, which can cause major damage to plants and infrastructure. This information will now be included in regular freeze alerts.

Additionally, frost advisories will remain unchanged. These advisories are issued when frost is expected, usually in rural areas, even if the temperature remains above freezing (33–36 degrees). Frost can still cause minor damage to vegetation, so it’s important to stay aware of these advisories, especially if you’re gardening or managing outdoor plants.

Regional variations

It’s important to note that the thresholds for issuing extreme cold alerts vary by region. For example, what qualifies as “extreme cold” in Florida will look quite different than in North Dakota. So, while these alerts will be used nationwide, the specific criteria depend on the area’s typical climate.

Recap

To summarize, the changes from the National Weather Service are designed to reduce confusion and improve how cold weather risks are communicated. With more simplified alerts, the focus will be on keeping the public informed and safe, no matter the weather conditions. (Did you know that the National Weather Service receives between $6.2 billion and $7.3 billion in discretionary funding per fiscal year? I wonder how much money went into this simplification initiative?)

Chime in! Were you confused about the previous wording of winter warnings issued by the NWS? Do you think the new verbiage will help people better understand and respond appropriately to winter’s hazards? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

You can find all National Weather Service alerts here.

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