Extreme wind warning
In National Weather Service (NWS) terminology, an extreme wind warning (EWW) is a warning issued when a landfalling hurricane is expected to bring winds of 100 knots (115 mph, 185 km/h, 51 m/s) to a specific location. The warning is issued just prior to when the strongest winds of the eyewall are expected to impact an area.[1]
The warning is to be issued for the smallest area possible, and be valid for times of two hours or less.[1] It was developed in response to confusion resulting from the landfall of Hurricane Katrina. NWS offices in Jackson and New Orleans/Baton Rouge issued 11 tornado warnings for areas that would not experience an actual tornado, but would experience extreme wind speeds commonly associated with tornadoes.[2] The extreme wind warning is now expected to be used in these situations.
Example
Below is an example of an Extreme Wind Warning issued by the National Weather Service in Melbourne.
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED EXTREME WIND WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL 526 AM EDT FRI OCT 7 2016 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MELBOURNE HAS ISSUED A * EXTREME WIND WARNING FOR... NORTHEASTERN BREVARD COUNTY IN FLORIDA... * UNTIL 715 AM EDT * AT 521 AM EDT...SURFACE OBSERVATIONS AND DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED EXTREME WINDS... ASSOCIATED WITH THE EYEWALL OF HURRICANE MATTHEW WERE ABOUT TO MOVE ONSHORE CAPE CANAVERAL INCLUDING PORT CANAVERAL AND MOVING NORTH-NORTHWEST AT 15 MPH. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION! PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... FREQUENT DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS TO AROUND 115 MPH WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE CAPE CANAVERAL AREA...PRODUCING SWATHS OF TORNADO-LIKE DAMAGE. A WIND GUST OF 100 MPH WAS RECENTLY RECORDED AT THE TIP OF CAPE CANAVERAL.
See also
References
- 1 2 National Weather Service. "Product Description Document: Extreme Wind Warning (EWW)" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-10-04.
- ↑ U.S. Department of Commerce. "Service Assessment. Hurricane Katrina: August 23–31, 2005" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-10-04.