A Blowing snow advisory was issued by the National Weather Service of the United States when wind driven snow reduces surface visibility and possibly hampers traveling. Blowing snow may be falling snow, or snow that has already accumulated but is picked up and blown by strong winds. This advisory was discontinued beginning with the 2008-09 winter storm season, replaced by the Winter Weather Advisory for Snow and Blowing Snow. However, if the storm is judged to be dangerous by local forecasters, a Winter Storm Warning for heavy snow and blowing snow may be issued.
A similar bulletin is issued by Environment Canada's Meteorological Service of Canada but as a Warning.
Example of a blowing snow advisory
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGENATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL659 AM CST MON JAN 2 2009...NEAR ZERO VISIBILITY BEING REPORTED ACROSS PARTS OF WESTERNILLINOIS EARLY THIS MORNING....AN INTENSE WINTER STORM WAS MOVING ACROSS WESTERN ILLINOIS EARLY THISMORNING BRINGING SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ON STRONG NORTH WINDS. ABAND OF SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WAS REDUCING VISIBILITY DOWN TO ZEROIN MANY LOCATIONS ALONG AND WEST OF HIGHWAY 7 AND NORTH OFHIGHWAY 22. THIS BAND OF SNOW WILL MOVE EAST THROUGH PEORIA...LAKEWATER AND DULUTH THIS MORNING. THE SNOW AND BLOWINGSNOW SHOULD BE TAPERING OFF FROM WEST TO EAST THROUGH THE LATEMORNING HOURS WITH VISIBILITIES IMPROVING.KSZ030-031-043>046-065-066-081-090-221800-/O.CON.KDDC.SB.Y.0002.000000T0000Z-091238T0659Z/PERRY MO-RANDOLPH-STE GENEVIEVE MO-JEFFERSON MO-MONROE-JERSEY-MACOUPIN-ST LOUIS MO-ST CHARLES MO-MARION-INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...PEORIA...DULTH...HILLSBORO...RANDOLPH CITY...BURNETTE...LAKE MACOUPIN...FESTUS...DESOTO...LAKEWATER...MONROE PORT...MOUNT MARION...ST. PRESLEY...SAINT LOUIS...SUNSET HILLS...ARNOLD...FENTON...MAPAVILLE...OTTO659 AM CST MON JAN 2 2009...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOONCST TODAY...A SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CSTTODAY.WIDESPREAD 1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED TO ACCUMULATE ON 25TO 35 MPH NORTH WINDS THROUGH THE NIGHT AND EARLY MORNING HOURSSATURDAY. WIND GUSTS WILL EXCEED 40 MPH AT TIMES. THE SNOW ANDBLOWING SNOW WILL CAUSE VISIBILITY TO BE REDUCED TO A QUARTER MILEOR LESS IN SOME LOCATIONS. CONDITIONS SHOULD BE IMPROVING LATER THISMORNING AND AFTERNOON AS THE STORM SYSTEM MOVES EAST OF THEREGION. TRAVEL SHOULD BE POSTPONED UNTIL CONDITIONS IMPROVE BYMIDDAY.A SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY MEANS THAT VISIBILITIES WILL BELIMITED DUE TO A COMBINATION OF FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW. USECAUTION WHEN TRAVELING...ESPECIALLY IN OPEN AREAS.$$GERARDReferences
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