Winter weather advisory

rdf:langString Winter weather advisory

rdf:langString A winter weather advisory (originally identified as a Traveler's Advisory until the 2002-03 climatological winter when officially renamed, and informally as such by some local television stations thereafter) is a hazardous weather statement issued by Weather Forecast Offices (WFO) of the National Weather Service in the United States when one or more types of winter precipitation—snow, rain and snow mixed, freezing rain, sleet, graupel, etc.—presenting a hazard, but not expected to produce accumulations meeting storm warning criteria (usually below 10 cm / 4 inches), are forecast within 36 hours of the expected onset of precipitation or are occurring in the advisory's coverage area. A Winter Weather Advisory is similar to a significant weather advisory, but a winter weather advisory is an official product and is specific to cold weather. A similar warning is issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada's Meteorological Service of Canada offices. The advisory criteria vary from area to area and weather service to weather service. For example, any measurable snow will constitute the advisory in Florida, while forecast accumulations of 3 to 5 inches (7.6 to 12.7 cm) will merit issuance in New England. If other forms of wintry precipitation are expected, then a Winter Weather Advisory or Winter Storm Warning can be issued, also depending on the amount and accumulation of precipitation that is expected. Prior to the 2008-09 winter storm season, there was the snow advisory, specific for when snow was the only hazard expected in the advised area, the sleet advisory, specific for when sleet was the only hazard expected in the advised area, the blowing snow advisory, specific for when blowing snow was the only hazard expected in the advised area, and the Snow and Blowing Snow Advisory, specific for when stable snow and blowing snow were the only hazards expected in the advised area. The Winter Weather Advisories for Snow, for Sleet, for Blowing Snow, and for Snow and Blowing Snow, respectively, have since replaced them.