A Blizzard Warning (SAME code: BZW) is an advisory issued by the National Weather Service of the United States which means sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph / 15 m/s or greater with heavy snow is forecast for a period of 3 hours or more. A blizzard tends to reduce visibilities to 1/4 of a mile (400 m) or less. A Severe Blizzard Warning is a variety issued is some cases of winds above 45 mph / 20 m/s and temperatures below 10°F/-12°C. Most local weather offices will activate the broadcast the SAME alarm tone on relevant NOAA Weather Radio stations for both varieties of warning, and many offices will also request activation of the Emergency Alert System.
[edit] Example of a blizzard warning
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
342 AM EST TUE FEB 13 2007
...MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL HIT THE AREA TODAY AND TONIGHT...
.A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER ARKANSAS WILL MOVE NORTHEAST TO WEST
VIRGINIA ON WEDNESDAY MORNING. THIS SYSTEM WILL CAUSE HEAVY SNOW
ACROSS THE AREA TODAY AND TONIGHT. STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS WILL
CAUSE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW RESULTING IN WHITEOUTS AND SOME
ROADS BECOMING IMPASSABLE DUE TO DRIFTING. THE WORST CONDITIONS
ARE EXPECTED SOUTH OF A KNOX INDIANA TO WAUSEON OHIO LINE WHERE
THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL FALL. TRAVEL IS DISCOURAGED. HIGHWAYS THAT
WILL BE AFFECTED INCLUDE INTERSTATES 69... 65... 75... 80... 90...
AND 94... AND ROUTES 6... 24... 27... 30... 31... 33... AND 127.
INZ008-009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-OHZ001-002-004-005-015-016-
024-025-131645-
/O.CAN.KIWX.WS.W.0002.000000T0000Z-070214T1200Z/
/O.NEW.KIWX.BZ.W.0002.070213T0842Z-070214T1200Z/
NOBLE-DE KALB-STARKE-PULASKI-MARSHALL-FULTON IN-KOSCIUSKO-WHITLEY-
ALLEN IN-WHITE-CASS IN-MIAMI-WABASH-HUNTINGTON-WELLS-ADAMS-GRANT-
BLACKFORD-JAY-WILLIAMS-FULTON OH-DEFIANCE-HENRY-PAULDING-PUTNAM-
VAN WERT-ALLEN OH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...KENDALLVILLE...LIGONIER...AUBURN...
GARRETT...KNOX...NORTH JUDSON...WINAMAC...FRANCESVILLE...
PLYMOUTH...BREMEN...ROCHESTER...WARSAW...WINONA LAKE...
COLUMBIA CITY...SOUTH WHITLEY...FORT WAYNE...MONTICELLO...
BROOKSTON...LOGANSPORT...PERU...WABASH...NORTH MANCHESTER...
HUNTINGTON...BLUFFTON...OSSIAN...DECATUR...BERNE...MARION...
HARTFORD CITY...MONTPELIER...PORTLAND...BRYAN...WAUSEON...
ARCHBOLD...DEFIANCE...NAPOLEON...PAULDING...ANTWERP...OTTAWA...
PANDORA...VAN WERT...DELPHOS...LIMA
342 AM EST TUE FEB 13 2007 /242 AM CST TUE FEB 13 2007/
...WINTER STORM WARNING IS CANCELLED...
...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST /6 AM CST/
WEDNESDAY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORTHERN INDIANA HAS ISSUED A
BLIZZARD WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST /6 AM CST/
WEDNESDAY. THE WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
A COMBINATION OF HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS WILL RESULT
IN BLIZZARD CONDITIONS DEVELOPING OVER MUCH OF NORTHERN INDIANA
AND NORTHWEST OHIO TODAY AND TONIGHT. IN ADDITION IT WILL BE VERY
COLD WITH WIND CHILLS FALLING BELOW ZERO BY THIS AFTERNOON AND
CONTINUING TONIGHT. STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS ARE
EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 10 TO 15 INCHES WITH HEAVIEST AMOUNTS OVER
SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA.
A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS
AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITEOUT
CONDITIONS AND SOME ROADS BECOMING IMPASSABLE DUE TO DRIFTING
SNOW...MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL. IF YOU
MUST...HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GET
STRANDED...STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE.
$$
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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Severe
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Winter
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Tropical
Cyclones |
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River flood
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Urban and small stream flood
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Felt air
temperature |
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Maritime
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coastal
weather |
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Hazardous Seas
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Freezing Spray
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Storm
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High Surf
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Hurricane Force Wind
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| Wind |
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