Why Won’t Minnesotans See These Weather Terms Anymore?
The National Weather Service quietly rolled out new winter weather guidance to start off October, and it's just not getting noticed. No longer will Minnesotans from the #BoldNorth hear or see the words Wind Chill when it comes to incoming winter weather, instead we will have to get used to hearing new weather terminology. Here's what the National Weather Service has changed the phrase Wind Chill to.
Starting at the beginning of October, the National Weather Service is calling what were once 'wind chill' warnings or watches, Extreme Cold. Here's the official wording from the National Weather Service website.
The following changes will take place on Oct. 1:
Extreme Cold Consolidation and Renaming
- Wind Chill Watches will be renamed to an Extreme Cold Watch
- Wind Chill Warnings will be renamed to an Extreme Cold Warning
- Wind Chill Advisory will be renamed a Cold Weather Advisory
Freeze Consolidation
- Hard Freeze Watches will be renamed to a Freeze Watch
- Hard Freeze Warnings will be consolidated to a Freeze Warning
The National Weather Service clarified why these changes were being made:
These changes seek to clarify that cold can be dangerous with or without wind, addressing a common misconception that extreme cold is only tied to colder temperatures when there is wind. Dangerously cold weather can accompany or follow wintry precipitation, and the cold messaging can be overshadowed by the wintry precipitation.
So, when we start to see Arctic air creeping down into Minnesota we won't be hearing about wind chills, rather we will need to be listening for the term extreme cold to know just how dangerous it can be outside.
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