Winter storm watch
A Winter Storm Watch is issued by the National Weather Service of the United States when there is a potential for heavy snow or significant ice accumulations. The watch is usually issued at least 24 to 36 hours before the storm's arrival in the area. As is true with a Winter Weather Advisory, the criteria for this watch can vary from place to place. A similar warning is issued by Environment Canada's Meteorological Service of Canada offices.
Example of a Winter Storm Watch
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
100 PM EST SUN JAN 30 2011
...POTENT WINTER STORM TO AFFECT THE REGION...
.A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL PUSH INTO THE OHIO VALLEY ON
TUESDAY...AND SUPPORT DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS IN THE
AREA. SNOW WILL DEVELOP ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON...EXPANDING IN
COVERAGE AND INTENSITY TUESDAY EVENING. SNOW WILL CONTINUE INTO
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...ENDING BY WEDNESDAY EVENING. SNOW MAY MIX
WITH OR CHANGE TO SLEET OR FREEZING RAIN SOUTH OF ROUTE 24...WITH
SOME ICING POSSIBLE. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF UP TO 18 INCHES WILL BE
POSSIBLE WITH THIS SYSTEM...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS OF OVER
20 INCHES NOT OUT OF THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY. THESE HIGHER
AMOUNTS WILL LIKELY BE ACROSS FAR NORTHERN INDIANA AND SOUTHWEST
LOWER MICHIGAN. SOME SLEET COULD ALSO MIX WITH THE SNOW OVER NORTH
CENTRAL INDIANA AND FAR NORTHWEST OHIO...REDUCING SNOWFALL AMOUNTS.
SUSTAINED WINDS OF 15 TO 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS...WOULD SUPPORT
WIDESPREAD BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...WITH DRIFTS POTENTIALLY
REACHING SEVERAL FEET IN SOME LOCATIONS. TRAVEL WILL LIKELY BE
DIFFICULT TO IMPOSSIBLE IN MANY AREAS...WITH ROAD CLOSURES
POSSIBLE. THERE IS STILL SOME UNCERTAINTY REGRADING THE EXACT
TRACK OF THIS SYSTEM...AS CURRENT FORECAST SNOW AMOUNTS AND STORM
IMPACTS COULD CERTAINLY CHANGE. PERSONS IN THE AREA SHOULD PREPARE
FOR THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS STORM. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO
OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR LATER UPDATES ON THIS POTENTIALLY
DANGEROUS SITUATION...ESPECIALLY PERSONS PLANNING TRAVEL IN THE
REGION.
INZ017-018-022>027-032>034-OHZ015-016-024-025-310000-
/O.CON.KIWX.WS.A.0001.110201T1800Z-110203T0000Z/
WHITLEY-ALLEN IN-CASS IN-MIAMI-WABASH-HUNTINGTON-WELLS-ADAMS-
GRANT-BLACKFORD-JAY-PAULDING-PUTNAM-VAN WERT-ALLEN OH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...COLUMBIA CITY...TRI-LAKES...
SOUTH WHITLEY...FORT WAYNE...NEW HAVEN...LOGANSPORT...
ROYAL CENTER...PERU...GRISSOM AFB...MEXICO...WABASH...
NORTH MANCHESTER...HUNTINGTON...ROANOKE...BLUFFTON...OSSIAN...
DECATUR...BERNE...MARION...GAS CITY...UPLAND...HARTFORD CITY...
MONTPELIER...PORTLAND...DUNKIRK...PAULDING...ANTWERP...MELROSE...
OTTAWA...PANDORA...KALIDA...FORT JENNINGS...VAN WERT...DELPHOS...
OHIO CITY...LIMA...SPENCERVILLE
100 PM EST SUN JAN 30 2011
...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...
A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING.
* TIMING...SNOW WILL DEVELOP TUESDAY AFTERNOON...EXPANDING IN
COVERAGE AND INTENSITY TUESDAY EVENING. SNOW MAY MIX WITH OR
CHANGE TO FREEZING RAIN OR SLEET LATE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO
WEDNESDAY MORNING. SNOW WILL CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON...ENDING WEDNESDAY EVENING.
* MAIN IMPACT...HEAVY SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 12
INCHES ARE POSSIBLE...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR LOCALLY HIGHER
AMOUNTS. IF PRECIPITATION CHANGES TO FREEZING RAIN OR SLEET...
MUCH LOWER SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WOULD BE EXPECTED BUT SIGNIFICANT
ICING WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITH EXTENDED POWER OUTAGES.
* OTHER IMPACTS...SUSTAINED WINDS OF 15 TO 30 MPH WITH HIGHER
GUSTS WOULD SUPPORT WIDESPREAD BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...
HIGHLY IMPACTING TRAVEL. THESE WINDS WOULD ALSO CAUSE TREE LIMBS
AND POWER LINES TO FALL.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
SNOW...SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL.
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.
$$
HEINLEIN
See also
External links
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