Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS National HQ
Issued by NWS National HQ
956 NOUS41 KWBC 291920 AAA PNSWSH Service Change Notice 24-75 Updated National Weather Service Headquarters Silver Spring MD 320 PM EDT Thu Aug 29 2024 To: Subscribers: -NOAA Weather Wire Service -Emergency Managers Weather Information Network -NOAAPort Other NWS Partners, Users and Employees From: Douglas C. Young, Chief Digital and Graphical Information Support Branch Subject: Updated: Changes in NWS Hazard Map Warning, Watch, Advisory (WWA) Colors and Priorities: Effective October 1, 2024 Updated to change priority of Dust Storm Warning and Blowing Dust Warning. On or about October 1, 2024, at 1800 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the NWS will update WWA Hazard Map colors and priorities for a subset of the Warnings, Watches, and Advisories displayed on the weather.gov homepage. This change will reflect updates in NWS products and services resulting from such changes as the consolidation of products, addition or removal of products, and/or a re-evaluation of the priority of a hazard to ensure that the most significant threat to life or property is displayed on the map when several warnings and watches are in effect simultaneously. These changes will also be reflected on all weather.gov webpages. The specific WWA map changes are as follows: * Dust Storm Warning - Priority changed from #42 to #28 * Blowing Dust Warning - Priority changed from #43 to #29 * Heavy Freezing Spray Warning - Priority changed from #75 to #25. * Ashfall Advisory - Priority changed from #86 to #42. * Extreme Cold Warning - Moved to Priority #50 and replaced Wind Chill Warning as part of the Implementation of Consolidated NWS Public Weather Program Products Related to Cold (see Service Change Notice (SCN) 23-44). * Freeze Warning - Moved to Priority #51 as discontinuation of "Hard Freeze Warning" included in the Implementation of Consolidated NWS Public Weather Program Products Related to Cold (see SCN 23-44). * Tropical Cyclone Local Statement - "Hurricane Local Statement" will be updated to "Tropical Cyclone Local Statement" to reflect that it includes all tropical cyclone types. * Winter Weather Advisory - Moved to Priority #60 above Avalanche Advisory. * Cold Weather Advisory - Added at Priority #62 and replaced Wind Chill Advisory as part of the Implementation of Consolidated NWS Public Weather Program Products Related to Cold (see SCN 23-44). * Flood Advisory - Priority #64 as part of the Implementation of the Consolidation and/or Reformatting of Flood Watches, Warnings and Advisories (see SCN 21-56). * Coastal Flood Advisory - Moved to Priority #65 above Lakeshore Flood Advisory. * Winter Storm Watch - Moved up to Priority #82 and combined with Blizzard Watch and Lake Effect Snow Watch. * Avalanche Watch - Moved down to Priority #86. * Flood Watch - Moved up to Priority #89. * Extreme Cold Watch - Moved to Priority #94 and replaced Wind Chill Watch as part of the Implementation of Consolidated NWS Public Weather Program Products Related to Cold (see SCN 23-44). * Freeze Watch - Moved to Priority #95 as discontinuation of "Hard Freeze Watch" included in the Implementation of Consolidated NWS Public Weather Program Products Related to Cold (see SCN 23-44). For more information regarding the consolidation of NWS Public Weather Program Products related to cold, please see SCN 23-44 Updated, Implementation of Consolidated NWS Public Weather Program Products Related to Cold, at: https://www.weather.gov/media/notification/pdf_2023_24/scn23- 44_public_program_text_products_freeze_cold_aab.pdf For more information on all NWS Warning, Watch, and Advisory priorities and colors, please see: https://www.weather.gov/help-map For problems or operational issues with the NWS websites, please contact: NCEP Central Operations Tech Control nco.ops@noaa.gov For any feedback on the changes in hazard colors and priorities as described in this notice, please contact: nws.webfeedback@noaa.gov National Service Change Notices are online at: https://www.weather.gov/notification/