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NWS - New Experimental "Extreme Cold Warning"

Kenny Drake

EF3
Joined
Apr 7, 2006
Messages
227
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=mpx&storyid=62337&source=0

Just a heads up if one day you are browsing the weather advisories/warnings/etc and see this.

THRESHOLDS...

WIND CHILL ADVISORY...WIND CHILLS 25 BELOW TO 34 BELOW.
WIND CHILL WARNING...WIND CHILLS 35 BELOW OR COLDER.
EXTREME COLD WARNING...AIR TEMPERATURES 35 BELOW OR COLDER WITH
LITTLE IF ANY WIND.
Click to expand...

As usual, there is a caveat. It is a NPW (Non-precipitation weather) product. Currently, only NWS offices in the Dakotas and Minnesota are testing this product. So far, we have not had any extreme cold (by this product's definition) but if climatology is correct this should change before winter's end.
 
Amazes me that the people of ND have gone this long without being able to react to a forecast like "It's going to hit 38 below zero tonight!" Thank goodness this product is here to help people understand what that really means...
 
I can surely see how that would be helpful in preparing entire communities in the path of an Extreme Cold to take immediate, life-saving action. Will this product include warning polygons?

I hope there's a similar product in the works for us Michiganders--maybe an Extreme Pretty Darn Chilly warning that alerts us when temps drop into the single digits, so we'll all know not to breathe through our noses and freeze our boogers.
 
I could see similar warnings in Central Texas...Of course they'd need to be modified so they are put into effect when the temperature falls below 50 degrees F. Bunch a wimps down here spouting off "What Global Warming!?!" today with highs in the low 40s.
 
Michael Nicolaou said:
I could see similar warnings in Central Texas...Of course they'd need to be modified so they are put into effect when the temperature falls below 50 degrees F. Bunch a wimps down here spouting off "What Global Warming!?!" today with highs in the low 40s.
Click to expand...

40's? heck that's shorts and t-shirt weather heh
 
Bob Hartig said:
I can surely see how that would be helpful in preparing entire communities in the path of an Extreme Cold to take immediate, life-saving action. Will this product include warning polygons?

I hope there's a similar product in the works for us Michiganders--maybe an Extreme Pretty Darn Chilly warning that alerts us when temps drop into the single digits, so we'll all know not to breathe through our noses and freeze our boogers.
Click to expand...

Well excessive heat warnings and heat advisories exist, so it's about time they created a corresponding alert for the other end of the spectrum.
 
Jeff Duda said:
Well excessive heat warnings and heat advisories exist, so it's about time they created a corresponding alert for the other end of the spectrum.
Click to expand...

Just because there are too many warnings and advisories is not a good reason to add even more... In the era of social meteorology - I would expect them only to have added it after studying human behavior and noticing a strong demand. That's what I was referring to, I was just surprised that residents of the Dakotas needed that extra smidge of 'hand-holding' to be able to react to a forecast of -38F. If you tell me it's going to hit 38 below, I'm not going to ignore it since there's no ECW associated with it :)
 
Alright, alright. I was more or less being sarcastic about it. I agree with your points, Bobs :p.
 
I'm glad to see this coming into play up here. My hope is that K-12 schools and universities will take our extremly cold temperatures more seriously with this new change as they rarely ever shut down due to very cold temperatures. Hopefully this new warning will make them think twice before keeping their respective institutions open when it gets down to -40F without the windchill.
 
Just curious - if they don't shut down for -40F, why do you think this will change their policies? What do most schools do for wind chills?
 
The Duluth, MN NWS office has issued several extreme cold warning products for tonight.
* TEMPERATURE: TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO DROP TO AROUND 40 BELOW
ACROSS NORTHERN MINNESOTA OVERNIGHT AND THEN GRADUALLY IMPROVE
FRIDAY MORNING. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME CALM OVERNIGHT.
Click to expand...
(Or otherwise it would have been a Wind Chill Warning)
 
Whats has me confused is some of the offices have different critera that does not make sense like Aberdeen NWS is -35 however Bismarck NWS where its colder normally is -30 I just found it interesting
 
What sort of response did this product get for its first issuance? Any idea how people reacted in ways that they didn't the last 100+ years without the ECW?
 
Oh I've already fed back ;) I was looking for Jessica's input since she thought this would be a great help for their residents.
 
Jessica Syverson said:
I'm glad to see this coming into play up here. My hope is that K-12 schools and universities will take our extremly cold temperatures more seriously with this new change as they rarely ever shut down due to very cold temperatures. Hopefully this new warning will make them think twice before keeping their respective institutions open when it gets down to -40F without the windchill.
Click to expand...

Jessica

If they won't close for -40F, maybe they could agree to close for -40C......

Sean
 
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