Similar Coastal flood advisory, Hazardous seas warning, Gale watch | ||
A Blizzard Warning (SAME code: BZW) is an advisory issued by the National Weather Service of the United States which means sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph / 15 m/s or greater with heavy snow is forecast for a period of 3 hours or more. A blizzard tends to reduce visibilities to 1/4 of a mile (400 m) or less. A Severe Blizzard Warning is a variation issued in some cases of winds above 45 mph / 20 m/s and temperatures below 10 °F/-12 °C. Most local weather offices will activate and broadcast the SAME alarm tone on relevant NOAA Weather Radio stations for both varieties of warning.
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In Canada, comparable warnings are issued by Environment Canada. These are the main two types of Canadian blizzard warnings as of 2010:
The same warnings are issued by Weatheradio Canada and re-issued by media outlets like The Weather Network.
Example of a blizzard warning (US)
The following is an example of a Blizzard Warning issued by the National Weather Service Office in Upton, New York.
165 WWUS41 KOKX 012056WSWOKXURGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGENATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY356 PM EST WED JAN 1 2014...A COASTAL STORM WILL BRING THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY SNOW...STRONGWINDS AND DANGEROUSLY COLD WIND CHILLS THURSDAY EVENING THROUGHFRIDAY AFTERNOON...NYZ078>081-177-179-021000-/O.UPG.KOKX.WS.A.0005.140102T2300Z-140103T1800Z//O.NEW.KOKX.BZ.W.0001.140102T2300Z-140103T1800Z/NORTHWESTERN SUFFOLK-NORTHEASTERN SUFFOLK-SOUTHWESTERN SUFFOLK-SOUTHEASTERN SUFFOLK-NORTHERN NASSAU-SOUTHERN NASSAU-356 PM EST WED JAN 1 2014...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THURSDAY TO 1 PM ESTFRIDAY...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NEW YORK HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARDWARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THURSDAY TO 1 PM ESTFRIDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.* LOCATIONS...LONG ISLAND INCLUDING NASSAU AND SUFFOLK COUNTIES.* HAZARD TYPES...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.* ACCUMULATIONS...UP TO AROUND 1 INCH OF SNOW IS FORECAST OVERNIGHT THROUGH THE THURSDAY MORNING RUSH HOUR. AN ADDITIONAL 7 TO 9 INCHES OF SNOW IS FORECAST THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY. TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 8 TO 10 INCHES ARE FORECAST.* WINDS...NORTH 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH.* TEMPERATURES...IN THE LOWER 20S.* VISIBILITIES...ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS.* TIMING...THE HEAVIEST SNOW AND THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL OCCUR THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY.* IMPACTS...BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. WIND CHILLS FROM 5 DEGREES BELOW ZERO TO 5 DEGREES ABOVE ZERO WILL PRODUCE EXTREME COLD IMPACTS.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS AREEXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDSAND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITEOUTCONDITIONS...MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL. IFYOU MUST TRAVEL...HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GETSTRANDED...STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE.&&$$