Watch, Warning, & Advisory Legend

Color

Label

Hazard / Weather Event

 

 

None

 

Wind

 

 

LW.Y, WI.Y

Lake Wind Advisory, Wind Advisory

 

HW.A

High Wind Watch

 

HW.W

High Wind Warning

 

Flood

 

 

FF.A

Flash Flood Watch

 

CF.Y, LS.Y

Coastal Flood Advisory, Lakeshore Flood Advisory

 

CF.A, LS.A

Coastal Flood Watch, Lakeshore Flood Watch

 

CF.W, LS.W

Coastal Flood Warning, Lakeshore Flood Warning

 

FA.A

Flood Watch (Area)

 

FL.Y, FA.Y

Flood Advisory (Point), Flood Advisory

 

Thunderstorm

 

 

SV.A

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

 

Tornado

 

 

TO.A

Tornado Watch

 

Tropical

 

 

SS.A

Storm Surge Watch

 

SS.W

Storm Surge Warning

 

SS.A

Hurricane Wind Watch

 

SS.W

Hurricane Wind Warning

 

HU.A, TY.A

Hurricane Watch, Typhoon Watch

 

HU.W, TY.W

Hurricane Warning, Typhoon Warning

 

TI.A, TR.A

Tropical Storm Wind Watch, Tropical Storm Watch

 

TI.W, TR.W

Tropical Storm Wind Warning, Tropical Storm Warning

 

Marine

 

 

HF.A

Hurricane Force Wind Watch

 

HF.W

Hurricane Force Wind Warning

 

SR.A

Storm Watch

 

SR.W

Storm Warning

 

GL.A

Gale Watch

 

GL.W

Gale Warning

 

SU.Y

High Surf Advisory

 

SU.W

High Surf Warning

 

SW.Y, RB.Y, SI.Y, SC.Y

Small Craft Advisory

 

SE.A

Hazardous Seas Watch

 

SE.W

Hazardous Seas Warning

 

UP.Y

Freezing Spray Advisory

 

UP.A

Heavy Freezing Spray Watch

 

UP.W

Heavy Freezing Spray Warning

 

BW.Y

Brisk Wind Advisory

 

LO.Y

Low Water Advisory

 

BH.S, RP.S

Beach Hazard Statement, Rip Current Statement

 

Winter Weather

 

 

WW.Y

Winter Weather Advisory

 

WS.A

Winter Storm Watch

 

WS.W

Winter Storm Warning

 

Snow

 

 

LE.A

Lake Effect Snow Watch

 

LE.W

Lake Effect Snow Warning

 

LE.Y, LB.Y

Lake Effect Snow Advisory, Lake Effect & Blowing Snow Advisory

 

Blizzard

 

 

BZ.A

Blizzard Watch

 

BZ.W

Blizzard Warning

 

Ice

 

 

IS.W

Ice Storm Warning

 

ZR.Y

Freezing Rain Advisory

 

ZF.Y

Freezing Fog Advisory

 

Cold

 

 

WC.Y

Wind Chill Advisory

 

WC.A

Wind Chill Watch

 

WC.W

Wind Chill Warning

 

EC.A, EC.W

Extreme Cold Watch, Extreme Cold Warning

 

FR.Y

Frost Advisory

 

FZ.A

Freeze Watch

 

FZ.W

Freeze Warning

 

HZ.A

Hard Freeze Watch

 

HZ.W

Hard Freeze Warning

 

Heat

 

 

HT.Y

Heat Advisory

 

EH.A

Excessive Heat Watch

 

EH.W

Excesssive Heat Warning

 

Miscellaneous

 

 

FW.A

Fire Weather Watch

 

FW.W

Red Flag Warning

 

DU.Y

Blowing Dust Advisory

 

SM.Y

Dense Smoke Advisory

 

DS.W

Dust Storm Warning

 

FG.Y

Dense Fog Advisory

 

AS.Y

Air Stagnation Advisory

 

AF.Y

Ashfall Advisory

 

AF.W

Ashfall Warning




Hurricane Threats

are the worst-case plausible scenario or threat associated with each of four tropical cyclone hazards: wind, storm surge, flooding rain, and tornadoes.   Threats take into account the forecast magnitude and the associated forecast uncertainty of the hazard.   There are four significant levels which describe each threat grid and are described in the tables below:  

 

Wind Threat

 

Potential for wind greater than 110 mph

 

 

Potential for wind 74 to 110 mph

 

 

Potential for wind 58 to 73 mph

 

 

Potential for wind 39 to 57 mph

 

 

Storm Surge Threat

 

 

Potential for storm surge > 9 ft above ground

 

 

Potential for storm surge > 6 ft above ground

 

 

Potential for storm surge > 3 ft above ground

 

 

Potential for storm surge > 1 ft above ground

 

 

Flooding Rain Threat

 

 

Potential for extreme flooding rain

 

 

Potential for major flooding rain

 

 

Potential for moderate flooding rain

 

 

Potential for localized flooding rain

 

 

Tornado Threat

 

 

Potential for an outbreak of tornadoes

 

 

Potential for many tornadoes

 

 

Potential for several tornadoes

 

 

Potential for a few tornadoes