What is the difference between advisories watches and warnings

Coastal Flood Watch. Coastal Flood Warning. Coastal Flood Advisory. Flash Flood Watch. Flash Flood Warning. Flood Watch. Flood Warning. River Flood Watch. River Flood Warning. Excessive Heat. Excessive Heat Watch. Excessive Heat Warning. Heat Advisory. Tropical Storm Watch. Tropical Storm Warning. Hurricane Watch. Hurricane Warning. The Hazardous Weather Outlook will describe potential hazardous weather and hydrologic information of concern in Days 1 through 7. The outlook contains two segments: One segment for the marine zones and adjacent land-based i.

Each segment of the HWO will contain 3 sections: short term through Day 1, long term for Days , and spotter information. A Winter Storm Watch is issued when there is the potential for significant and hazardous winter weather within 48 hours.

It does not mean that significant and hazardous winter weather will occur A Blizzard Warning means that the following conditions are occurring or expected within the next 12 to 18 hours. There is no temperature requirement that must be met to achieve blizzard conditions. A Winter Storm Warning is issued when a significant combination of hazardous winter weather is occurring or imminent.

A Winter Weather Advisory will be issued for any amount of freezing rain, or when 2 to 4 inches of snow alone or in combination with sleet and freezing rain , is expected to cause a significant inconvenience, but not serious enough to warrant a warning. A Freeze Watch is issued when there is a potential for significant, widespread freezing temperatures within the next hours. A Freeze Watch is issued in the autumn until the end of the growing season marked by the occurrence of first widespread freeze.

The normal end of the growing season is mid to late October west of the Blue Ridge and early November east of the Blue Ridge. However, during anomalously warm autumns, the growing season may be extended past the normal end of the growing season.

A Freeze Watch is issued in the spring at the start of the growing season when it is late enough to cause damage to new plants and crops. A Freeze Warning is issued when significant, widespread freezing temperatures are expected. A Freeze Warning is issued in the autumn until the end of the growing season marked by the occurrence of first widespread freeze. A Freeze Warning is issued in the spring at the start of the growing season when it is late enough to cause damage to new plants and crops.

A Frost Advisory is issued when the minimum temperature is forecast to be 33 to 36 degrees on clear and calm nights during the growing season. A Frost Advisory is issued in the autumn until the end of the growing season marked by the occurrence of first widespread freeze.

A Frost Advisory is issued in the spring at the start of the growing season when it is late enough to cause damage to new plants and crops. A High Wind Watch is issued when the following conditions are possible :. A High Wind Warning is issued when the following conditions are expected:. A Hurricane Watch is issued when a tropical cyclone containing winds of 64 kt 74 mph or higher poses a possible threat, generally within 48 hours.

The watch does not mean that hurricane conditions will occur. It only means that these conditions are possible. A Hurricane Warning is issued when sustained winds of 64 kt 74 mph or higher associated with a tropical cyclone are expected in 36 hours or less. A hurricane warning can remain in effect when dangerously high water or a combination of dangerously high water and exceptionally high waves continue, even though winds may be less than hurricane force.

A Wind Advisory is issued when the following conditions are expected:. An Extreme Wind Warning is issued for surface winds of knots MPH or greater associated with non-convective, downslope, derecho NOT associated with a tornado , or sustained hurricane winds are expected to occur within one hour.

Small Craft Advisories are issued for the Tidal Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay when one or both of the following conditions is expected to begin within 36 hours:.

Gray DC Bureau. Investigate TV. Latest Newscasts. The difference between a watch, warning and advisory. By Brittany Wiley. Published: Sep. Share on Facebook. Email This Link. Share on Twitter. Share on Pinterest. Share on LinkedIn. Most Read. Recent arrests in Laramie County, November Watches are issued for a long period of time hours and for a large geographic area.

In this example, a severe thunderstorm watch issued recently for Southern Louisiana. If you were in this area, you should continue to keep up with the weather and watch the situation closely. No need to do anything other than that. A warning, on the other hand, is a quick local bulletin that severe weather has been spotted or detected on radar.

For the past decade, warnings for severe local storms are no longer issued on a county level, but a polygon is issued to show the warning spot. If a tornado or flash flood warning is issued, your cell phone might go off if you are located inside the polygon.