A Wind Chill Watch is issued by the National Weather Service of the United States when the wind chill could reach dangerous levels within the next 12 to 48 hours. The exact definition required to issue a watch varies from state to state or from National Weather Service county warning areas to another, but if forecasters believe conditions are favorable for life-threatening wind chills meeting local criteria, a watch will be issued. People going outside should plan to protect themselves against hypothermia and frostbite.
Example
The following is an example of a Wind Chill Watch issued by the National Weather Service office in Detroit, Michigan.
017 WWUS43 KDTX 141646WSWDTXURGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGENATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI1146 AM EST WED JAN 14 2009...LONG DURATION ARCTIC VISIT....AN ARCTIC AIRMASS WILL BECOME FIRMLY ESTABLISHED OVER THE GREATLAKES REGION TONIGHT AND WILL PERSIST THROUGH FRIDAY INTO EARLYSATURDAY. THE COMBINATION OF BITTERLY COLD AIR...WITH TEMPERATURESWELL BELOW ZERO AT TIMES...AND A PERSISTENT WIND WILL CREATEDANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL VALUES. WIND CHILL READINGS WILL DIP TOAROUND -20 TONIGHT AND THURSDAY. THE HEART OF THE ARCTIC AIRMASSWILL SETTLE ACROSS THE REGION BEGINNING LATE THURSDAY ANDCONTINUING INTO EARLY SATURDAY. THE ADDITION OF A PERSISTENT WINDDURING THAT TIME WILL PROPEL WIND CHILL VALUES BELOW -25 DEGREES.MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-150100-/O.NEW.KDTX.WC.Y.0001.090115T0300Z-090116T0000Z//O.NEW.KDTX.WC.A.0001.090116T0000Z-090117T1500Z/MIDLAND-BAY-HURON-SAGINAW-TUSCOLA-SANILAC-SHIAWASSEE-GENESEE-LAPEER-ST. CLAIR-LIVINGSTON-OAKLAND-MACOMB-WASHTENAW-WAYNE-LENAWEE-MONROE-INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MIDLAND...BAY CITY...BAD AXE...SAGINAW...CARO...SANDUSKY...OWOSSO...FLINT...LAPEER...PORT HURON...HOWELL...PONTIAC...WARREN...ANN ARBOR...DETROIT...ADRIAN...MONROE1146 AM EST WED JAN 14 2009...WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PMEST THURSDAY......WIND CHILL WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY EVENING THROUGHSATURDAY MORNING...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DETROIT/PONTIAC HAS ISSUED A WINDCHILL ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO7 PM EST THURSDAY. A WIND CHILL WATCH HAS ALSO BEEN ISSUED. THISWIND CHILL WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY EVENING THROUGHSATURDAY MORNING. THE COMBINATION OF BITTERLY COLD AIR AND A PERSISTENT WIND WILLCREATE DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL VALUES. WIND CHILL READINGS WILLDIP TO AROUND -20 TONIGHT AND THURSDAY. THE HEART OF THE ARCTICAIRMASS WILL SETTLE ACROSS THE REGION BEGINNING LATE THURSDAY ANDCONTINUING INTO EARLY SATURDAY. THE ADDITION OF A PERSISTENT WINDDURING THAT TIME WILL PROPEL WIND CHILL VALUES BELOW -25 DEGREES.A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MEANS THAT VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDSWILL COMBINE TO GENERATE LOW WIND CHILLS. THIS WILL RESULT INFROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. IF YOU MUST VENTURE OUTDOORS...MAKE SURE YOU WEAR A HAT ANDGLOVES.A WIND CHILL WATCH MEANS THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A COMBINATIONOF VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDS TO CREATE DANGEROUSLY LOW WINDCHILL VALUES. MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND WARNINGS FORUPDATES ON THIS SITUATION.$$MANNReferences
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