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
The following blizzard warning was issued in Chicago before the historic Groundhog Day Blizzard and Ice storm swept the eastern U.S.[1] Within the Chicago forecast area, the storm produced up to 2 feet of snow, damaging winds ranging 35-45 MPH and gusting 50-60 MPH, locally near 70 MPH at the lakeshore, thundersnow events which technically met the criteria for being severe thunderstorms, 14-25 foot waves coupled with a storm surge comparable to a strong tropical storm or category 1 hurricane, zero or near-zero visibilities, and at least 2 reports of pea-sized hail originating from thundersnow cells. The first snowday in over a decade was called the Chicago public school district. Additionally, a piece of the roof of Wrigley Field was ripped off, ala hurricane damage, by a storm-force wind gust.
037
WWUS43 KLOT 312120
WSWLOT
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
320 PM CST MON JAN 31 2011
...DANGEROUS MULTIFACETED AND POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING WINTER
STORM TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY...
ILZ003>006-008-010>014-019>023-032-033-039-INZ001-002-010-011-019-
010530-
/O.UPG.KLOT.BZ.A.0001.110201T1800Z-110203T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KLOT.BZ.W.0001.110201T2100Z-110202T2100Z/
WINNEBAGO-BOONE-MCHENRY-LAKE IL-OGLE-LEE-DE KALB-KANE-DUPAGE-COOK-
LA SALLE-KENDALL-GRUNDY-WILL-KANKAKEE-LIVINGSTON-IROQUOIS-FORD-
LAKE IN-PORTER-NEWTON-JASPER-BENTON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ROCKFORD...BELVIDERE...WOODSTOCK...
WAUKEGAN...OREGON...DIXON...DEKALB...AURORA...WHEATON...CHICAGO...
OTTAWA...OSWEGO...MORRIS...JOLIET...KANKAKEE...PONTIAC...
WATSEKA...PAXTON...GARY...VALPARAISO...MOROCCO...RENSSELAER...
FOWLER
320 PM CST MON JAN 31 2011 /420 PM EST MON JAN 31 2011/
...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM CST /4 PM EST/ TUESDAY TO
3 PM CST /4 PM EST/ WEDNESDAY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHICAGO HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM CST /4 PM EST/ TUESDAY TO
3 PM CST /4 PM EST/ WEDNESDAY. THE BLIZZARD WARNING REPLACES THE
BLIZZARD WATCH.
* TIMING...SNOW WILL INCREASE IN INTENSITY AND BECOME HEAVY AT
TIMES SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80 TUESDAY AFTERNOON...GRADUALLY
SPREADING NORTH INTO NORTHERN ILLINOIS BY TUESDAY EVENING.
SNOW...WHICH WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES...WILL CONTINUE TUESDAY
NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. LAKE ENHANCED SNOW SHOWERS WILL
CONTINUE NEAR LAKE MICHIGAN IN NORTHEAST ILLINOIS WEDNESDAY
MORNING...SHIFTING INTO NORTHWEST INDIANA DURING THE AFTERNOON.
NORTHEAST WINDS OF 25 TO 40 MPH WITH STRONGER GUSTS WILL RESULT
IN BLIZZARD CONDITIONS DEVELOPING LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND
CONTINUING THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.
* ACCUMULATIONS...SNOW ACCUMULATIONS IN EXCESS OF A FOOT ARE
EXPECTED OVER MUCH OF THE AREA FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. LOCALIZED TOTALS IN EXCESS OF 18 INCHES
REMAIN POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY NEAR THE LAKE.
* HAZARDS...WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AT TIMES TUESDAY
NIGHT AS VERY HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS RESULT IN BLIZZARD
CONDITIONS. SNOWFALL RATES OF AT LEAST 2 TO 3 INCHES PER HOUR
ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY WHERE THUNDER SNOW MAY BE PRESENT.
* IMPACTS...CONDITIONS WILL RAPIDLY DETERIORATE FROM SOUTH TO
NORTH ACROSS THE REGION TUESDAY AFTERNOON...WITH TRAVEL LIKELY
BECOMING VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE AT TIMES TUESDAY NIGHT AND INTO
EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING. SNOW IS EXPECTED TO FALL SO HEAVILY AT
TIMES TUESDAY NIGHT THAT PLOWS MAY BE UNABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE
SNOW...WITH MANY SIDE STREETS AND UNTREATED ROADS BECOMING
IMPASSABLE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
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...MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL. IF
YOU MUST TRAVEL...HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GET
STRANDED...STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE.
&&
$$
SHEA
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[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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Severe
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Winter
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