This winter you will hear TV and Radio Meteorologists, and radio personalities like myself using different terminology for our winter weather. 

Gone will be the terms "Wind Chill Watches", "Wind Chill Advisories" and "Wind Chill Warnings."

This is all part of a plan by the National Weather Service to simplify weather terminology to the general public. "Cold is cold" is the message going forward, whether the wind is involved or not.

This is meant to improve safety, better warn people of extreme and dangerous weather situations, and encourage them to dress appropriately to avoid frostbite or worse.

The term "wind chill" is not going away, but there will be less emphasis on it.

They will be replaced with Extreme Cold watches, Extreme Cold Warnings, and Cold Weather Advisories.

National Weather Service
National Weather Service
loading...

What will the criteria be for these new Cold Weather Alerts? They will vary based on the region.  For example, North Dakota will have a much colder threshold to issue extreme cold watches and warnings compared to Texas.

Here's how cold it has to be in North Dakota for these new cold advisories, watches, and warnings to take effect.

I spoke with the National Weather Service in Bismarck this morning and here's what the criteria will be for the entire state of North Dakota.

In order for a cold weather advisory to go into effect, we will need either a windchill or an air temperature of 30 below zero.

For a cold weather watch or warning to be issued we will need either a windchill or air temperature of 40 below zero.

Again, this temperature threshold will vary from state to state. I guess the National Weather Service knows North Dakotans have thicker blood than Californians.

It might take a little bit to get used to it, but the National Weather Service hopes to simplify the cold weather terminology.  Now, you know before the cold sets in. Which by the way, isn't all that far away.

LOOK: The most extreme temperatures in the history of every state

Stacker consulted 2021 data from the NOAA's State Climate Extremes Committee (SCEC) to illustrate the hottest and coldest temperatures ever recorded in each state. Each slide also reveals the all-time highest 24-hour precipitation record and all-time highest 24-hour snowfall.

Keep reading to find out individual state records in alphabetical order.

Gallery Credit: Anuradha Varanasi

The Top 10 Most Misspelled Cities In North Dakota

These are cities in North Dakota that nobody can seem to spell correctly.

 

 

More From Cool 98.7 FM