CONCEPT FOR THE DAY - PUBLIC WATCHES and WARNINGS

The National Weather Service is mandated by Federal law to monitor, predict and provide necessary information to the public on impending destructive weather or hydrologic events. These events can be grouped into local convective or severe weather, tropical, marine, winter storm and other non-precipitation events. Public statements issued for various winter storm events were previously described in the Week 10 Tuesday Concept for the Day. These statements conform to a specific wording that the National Weather Service uses to alert the public to various hazardous events. In general, the following terms are used:

• An "outlook" is a statement issued with sufficient lead time to provide usable information on the possible development of a particular weather event. Daily outlooks of severe weather potential are issued for the following 24 hours. The system of watches and warnings below are intended for more immediate weather threats.
• An "advisory" consists of meteorological information issued to alert the public when actual or expected weather conditions may cause general inconvenience or concern but do not constitute a life-threatening hazard needing a watch or a warning message.
• A "watch" represents any cautionary statement that atmospheric conditions are favorable for the development of a particular weather or hydrologic phenomenon (usually hazardous). The intention is that these watches are to be issued with sufficient lead time to alert the public to make plans for personal safety if warranted. Watches are issued for flash floods, hurricanes, severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and winter storms.
• A "warning" represents any cautionary statement issued indicating that a specified hazardous weather or hydrologic event is imminent or actually occurring. The intention of these warnings is for the public to take immediate appropriate action for personal safety. Warnings are issued for the same weather hazards as watches.

Most of the watches for the country, to include all severe local storms, are currently issued by the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, OK. Watches for tropical weather events are issued from the National Hurricane Center near Miami, FL. Warnings for specific local weather events are issued by the local Weather Service Offices when hazardous weather events are occurring in their area of responsibility.

For a description of the terminology used in the official statements issued by the National Weather Service to inform the public of severe local storms, please read the Tuesday optional Supplemental Summary Information .

QUESTIONS:

To be submitted on the lines for Tuesday on the Study Guide, Part B, Applications, Week 11 Chapter Progress Response Form, under section B. Daily Summary.

1. A weather watch indicates that a hazardous weather event [(has occurred), (is presently occurring), (may occur)] .
2. A warning of severe local weather would be issued by [(Storm Prediction Center), (local Weather Service Office), (National Hurricane Center)] when the weather phenomenon was imminent or actually occurring.