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 |