Extreme cold warning

An extreme cold warning is issued by Environment Canada to inform the public about cold temperatures in their region that are expected to last for at least two hours.

As of April 8, 2014, Environment Canada replaced the Wind Chill Warning with an Extreme Cold Warning. In the older system a wind chill warning for Southern Ontario and Atlantic Canada was issued when the wind chill dropped to -35. Thus a temperature of −37 °C (−35 °F) with no winds would not require a warning be issued. Under the new system the extreme cold warning is issued based on either the temperature or the wind chill being a certain value for at least two hours. The values range from −30 °C (−22 °F) in the south to −55 °C (−67 °F) in parts of the Arctic.[1][2]

Ranges for issuing an extreme cold warning

United States

In the United States an extreme cold warning was an experimental weather warning issued by the National Weather Service in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota.[3] The warning was issued if the temperature fell to −35 °F (−37 °C) or colder with a wind of less than 5 mph (8 km/h; 2 m/s).[4] It was an experimental advisory for when the air temperature was dangerously cold, but the wind was too little to warrant a Wind Chill Watch or Warning.[5]

The Extreme Cold Warning was used from January 10, 2011 to April 15, 2011.[6] It was discontinued beginning with the 2011-12 winter storm season. Only four Extreme Cold Warnings were issued: one for Burleigh County, and three for areas outside of the Bismarck-Mandan metropolitan area.[7]

Example

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
324 PM CST THU JAN 20 2011

MNZ010-011-018-019-026-211030-
/O.NEW.KDLH.EC.W.0001.110120T2200Z-110121T1600Z/
KOOCHICHING-NORTHERN ST. LOUIS-NORTHERN ITASCA-CENTRAL ST. LOUIS-
SOUTHERN ITASCA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...INTERNATIONAL FALLS...ELY...BIGFORK...
HIBBING...GRAND RAPIDS
324 PM CST THU JAN 20 2011

...EXTREME COLD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CST FRIDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DULUTH HAS ISSUED AN EXTREME COLD
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CST FRIDAY.

* TEMPERATURE: TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO DROP TO AROUND 40 BELOW
ACROSS NORTHERN MINNESOTA OVERNIGHT AND THEN GRADUALLY IMPROVE
FRIDAY MORNING. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME CALM OVERNIGHT.

* FROSTBITE TIMES: FROSTBITE AFFECTS EXPOSED SKIN OF A HEALTHY
ADULT IN 10 TO 20 MINUTES. THE ELDERLY AND YOUNG CHILDREN ARE
ESPECIALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE COLD.

* IMPACTS: FROSTBITE CAN LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE
NOT TAKEN. PETS AND LIVESTOCK ARE ALSO AFFECTED BY COLD
TEMPERATURES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

AN EXTREME COLD WARNING MEANS DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY LIFE-
THREATENING EXTREME COLD TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED FOR A
PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME. FROSTBITE AND HYPOTHERMIA ARE LIKELY IN
AS SHORT AS 10 TO 20 MINUTES IF YOU ARE EXPOSED TO THESE
CONDITIONS WITHOUT PROPER PROTECTION. MAKE SURE YOU DRESS WITH
SEVERAL LAYERS OF CLOTHES DESIGNED FOR EXTREME COLD CONDITIONS...
AND AVOID SWEATING IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS AS THIS CAN LEAD TO A
FASTER ONSET OF HYPOTHERMIA.

&&

$$

See also

References

  1. ↑ Environment Canada. "Wind Chill Hazzards". Archived from the original on December 17, 2005.
  2. ↑ Extreme Cold Warning
  3. ↑ "National Weather Service Plans to Issue 'Extreme Cold Warnings'".
  4. ↑ "NWS To Experiment With 'Extreme Cold' Warnings".
  5. ↑ "Experimental Cold Warning Feedback Needed".
  6. ↑ "NWS Tests Extreme Cold Warning".
  7. ↑ "National Weather Service ditching 'extreme cold' warnings".
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