...TERMINOLOGY USED IN NWS FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE USES THE TERMS...WATCH...WARNING...
AND...ADVISORY...TO ALERT THE PUBLIC TO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

...WINTER STORM WATCH...
A WINTER STORM THAT CAN IMPACT SOCIETY MAY AFFECT YOUR AREA. A WINTER
STORM WATCH WILL BE USED TO PROVIDE 12 TO 48 HOURS NOTICE OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WINTER WEATHER.

-A WATCH WILL OFTEN BE ISSUED WHEN NEITHER THE PATH OF A
DEVELOPING WINTER STORM NOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE WEATHER
EVENT ARE AS YET WELL DEFINED.

-IDEALLY...THE WINTER STORM WATCH WILL EVENTUALLY BE UPGRADED TO
A WARNING WHEN THE NATURE AND LOCATION OF THE DEVELOPING
WEATHER EVENT BECOMES MORE APPARENT.

...WINTER STORM WARNING...
SEVERE WINTER WEATHER IS OCCURRING OR IMMINENT.  WINTER STORM
WARNINGS ARE USUALLY RESERVED FOR FORECASTS OF HEAVY SNOW EXCEEDING
6 INCHES IN 12 HOURS OR LESS. FREEZING RAIN OR SLEET MAY ALSO BE
MIXED IN WITH THE SNOW. A WINTER STORM WARNING COULD ALSO BE ISSUED
IF 8 INCHES OR MORE OF ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED IN A 24 HOUR
PERIOD.

-WINTER STORM WARNINGS CAN BE ISSUED FOR JUST 3 TO 6 INCHES OF
SNOW...IF THE SNOW OCCURS WITH STRONG WINDS OF 25 TO 34 MPH.

-WARNINGS MAY ALSO BE ISSUED FOR LESSER AMOUNTS OF SNOW IF THE
BULK OF THE SNOW IS EXPECTED TO FALL DURING THE PEAK RUSH
HOUR PERIODS.

...BLIZZARD WARNING...
SUSTAINED WINDS OR FREQUENT GUSTS OF 35 MILES AN HOUR WILL OCCUR IN
COMBINATION WITH CONSIDERABLE FALLING AND/OR BLOWING SNOW FOR A
PERIOD OF AT LEAST 3 HOURS.  VISIBILITIES WILL FREQUENTLY BE REDUCED
TO LESS THAN 1/4 MILE IN A BLIZZARD.

...LAKE-EFFECT SNOW WARNING...
RESERVED FOR FORECASTS OF WIDESPREAD OR LOCALIZED LAKE-INDUCED SNOW
SQUALLS OR HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS RESULTING IN ACCUMULATIONS EXCEEDING 6
INCHES IN 12 HOURS OR LESS...OR 8 INCHES OR MORE IN A 24 HOUR
PERIOD.

...ICE STORM WARNING...
RESERVED FOR FORECASTS OF FREEZING RAIN THAT LEAVE A COATING OF
ICE...1/4 INCH THICK OR MORE...IN 12 HOURS OR LESS.

...WIND CHILL WARNING...
LIFE-THREATENING WIND CHILLS REACH MINUS 35 OR LOWER...IN COMBINATION
WITH SUSTAINED WINDS GREATER THAN 10 MPH.


ADVISORIES ARE ISSUED FOR WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT ARE BELOW WARNING
CRITERIA WHICH WILL CAUSE INCONVENIENCES...BUT...IF CAUTION IS
EXERCISED...SHOULD NOT BE LIFE-THREATENING.

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY...
-A MIX OF SNOW...SLEET...FREEZING RAIN...OR FREEZING
DRIZZLE. THIS IS THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF ADVISORY ISSUED
SINCE MULTIPLE TYPES OF PRECIPITATION OFTEN OCCUR WITHIN ANY
SINGLE EVENT.

-SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES IN 12 HOURS OR LESS..WITH
WINDS LESS THAN 25 MPH.

-ADVISORIES CAN BE ISSUED FOR SNOW ACCUMULATIONS LESS THAN 3
INCHES IF THE BULK OF THE SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED DURING
PEAK RUSH HOUR PERIODS...AND ROADS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME
VERY ICY.

-JUST SLEET ACCUMULATIONS...WITH ACCUMULATIONS OF 1/2 INCH TO LESS
THAN 2 INCHES.

-SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW CONDITIONS WITH VISIBILITIES OCCASIONALLY
1/4 MILE OR LESS FOR 3 HOURS OR MORE.

...LAKE-EFFECT SNOW ADVISORY...
LAKE-EFFECT SNOW EVENT IN WHICH LAKE-INDUCED SNOW SQUALLS OR HEAVY
SNOW SHOWERS RESULT IN SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES.

-ADVISORIES CAN BE ISSUED FOR SNOW ACCUMULATIONS LESS THAN
3 INCHES IF THE BULK OF THE SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED DURING PEAK
RUSH HOUR PERIODS...AND ROADS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME VERY ICY.

...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY...
LIGHT FREEZING RAIN AND/OR FREEZING DRIZZLE WITH ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF
LESS THAN 1/4 INCH IN 12 HOURS OR LESS.

...WIND CHILL ADVISORY...
WIND CHILLS BETWEEN -20F AND -34F FOR 3 HOURS OR MORE WITH
SUSTAINED WINDS OF 10 MPH OR MORE.

...DENSE FOG ADVISORY...
ISSUED YEAR-ROUND FOR FORECASTS OF DENSE FOG THAT REDUCE VISIBILITIES
TO 1/4 MILE OR LESS FOR AT LEAST 3 HOURS.

IN MOST CASES...A WINTER STORM WARNING OR WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
WILL BE ISSUED FOR WEATHER SYSTEMS AFFECTING SOUTH-CENTRAL AND
SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN. ON RARE OCCASIONS...A SINGLE EVENT TYPE WILL BE
USED...SUCH AS FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY...OR ICE STORM WARNING.

...BE PREPARED BEFORE THE STORM STRIKES...

THE NWS REMINDS YOU TO BE PREPARED BEFORE WINTER STORMS STRIKE.
-HAVE EXTRA BATTERIES AND FLASHLIGHTS...FOOD AND WATER.

-HAVE EXTRA MEDICATION... FIRST-AID SUPPLIES.

-HAVE EXTRA BLANKETS FOR ADDITIONAL WARMTH AVAILABLE.

-BE READY FOR WINTER STORMS BY LISTENING TO NOAA WEATHER
RADIO ALL-HAZARDS...OR YOUR LOCAL NEWS STATION.


...DURING WINTER STORM EMERGENCIES...
STAY TUNED TO THE NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS FOR INFORMATION AND
EMERGENCY INSTRUCTIONS.  POST EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS BY THE
PHONE AND KEEP ENOUGH SUPPLIES IN YOUR HOME TO MEET YOUR NEEDS FOR AT
LEAST THREE DAYS.

...PLAYING IT SAFE...
SEVERE WINTER WEATHER IS AROUND THE CORNER AND THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE REMINDS YOU TO PLAY IT SAFE. AVOID OVER-EXERTION...SUCH AS
SHOVELING HEAVY SNOW OR WALKING IN DEEP SNOW. THE STRAIN FROM THE
COLD AND HARD LABOR MAY CAUSE A HEART ATTACK.

...THE BEST DEFENSE...
THE BEST DEFENSE AGAINST SEVERE WINTER WEATHER IS PREPAREDNESS. MAKE
SURE THAT SEVERE WEATHER DOES NOT CATCH YOU OFF GUARD.

-START PREPARING NOW FOR THE DANGEROUS ICE AND COLD THAT WILL
PREVAIL IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

-REMEMBER...MOST DEATHS AND INJURIES RELATED TO WINTER WEATHER
ARE CAUSED BY DRIVING ON ICY ROADS OR OVER-EXERTION.

...HOW TO DRESS FOR WINTER...
WINTER HAS ARRIVED AND THE NWS REMINDS YOU TO DRESS FOR THE SEASON.

-WEAR LOOSE...LIGHT-WEIGHT...WARM CLOTHING IN SEVERAL LAYERS.
TRAPPED AIR IS AN INSULATOR. LAYERS CAN BE REMOVED TO AVOID
PERSPIRATION AND SUBSEQUENT CHILL.

-OUTER GARMENTS SHOULD BE WATER REPELLENT AND HOODED.

-ALWAYS COVER YOUR HEAD...AS YOU CAN LOSE HALF OF YOUR BODY HEAT
THROUGH AN UNCOVERED HEAD.



...IF CAUGHT IN A WINTER STORM...
IN THE EVENT OF A WINTER STORM...ONLY LEAVE YOUR HOME IN AN
EMERGENCY.

-IF A BLIZZARD TRAPS YOU IN A CAR...PULL OFF THE ROAD...
ACTIVATE HAZARD LIGHTS...AND HANG A DISTRESS FLAG FROM THE
RADIO AERIAL OR WINDOW.

-REMAIN IN YOUR VEHICLE. RESCUERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO FIND YOU
THERE. KEEP THE EXHAUST PIPE FREE FROM SNOW TO PREVENT CARBON
MONOXIDE POISONING.

-ADEQUATE PREPARATION AND CAUTION ARE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS IN
SURVIVAL DURING SEVERE WINTER WEATHER.



...BE CONSIDERATE OF THE SNOW-PLOWERS...
-GIVE THE SNOW-PLOW CREWS A BREAK! THEY ARE THE ONES WHO
TRY TO KEEP OUR ROADS SAFER DURING AND AFTER WINTER STORMS.

-REMOVE PARKED VEHICLES FROM ROADS THAT NEED TO BE SNOW-PLOWED.

-WHEN PASSING A SNOW-PLOW TRUCK...BE EXTRA CAREFUL...AND GIVE
THEM PLENTY OF ROOM TO OPERATE THEIR TRUCK.



...LIVESTOCK...
DON/T FORGET TO PROVIDE LIVESTOCK A SUITABLE SHELTER FROM THE WIND
AND PRECIPITATION...AND MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A GOOD SUPPLY OF FRESH
WATER AND FOOD.

...PETS...
PETS SHOULD BE PROTECTED FROM THE BITING COLD...SNOW...AND FREEZING
RAIN. THEY CAN GET FROSTBITE. GIVE THEM A GOOD SHELTER AND FRESH FOOD
AND WATER. BETTER YET...BRING YOUR DOG OR CAT INDOORS DURING THE
WINTER SEASON IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.


...A FEW LAST WORDS...
STAY INFORMED OF DEVELOPING WEATHER CONDITIONS BY LISTENING TO
THE NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL-HAZARDS...COMMERCIAL RADIO...TELEVISION...
OR CABLE TV FOR THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER FORECASTS.
THERE IS NO REASON ANYONE SHOULD BE SURPRISED BY QUICK-CHANGING
WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS.  IN MOST CASES... HEADS-UP WINTER WEATHER
INFORMATION IS READILY AVAILABLE IF YOU KNOW WHERE TO OBTAIN IT.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WINTER WEATHER...VISIT...

     HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/WINTER        /ALL LOWER CASE/
     HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/MKX/?N=WINTER-WX-AWARENESS