| Event |
Criteria |
| TOR - Tornado Warning |
Tornado observed or indicated by radar (rotation, hook, BWER, etc) |
| SVR - Severe Thunderstorm Warning |
Hail 1 inch diameter or larger and/or wind gusts of 58 mph (50 kts) or greater |
| FFW - Flash Flood Warning |
Life threatening flooding (rapid rising water occurring within a short period of less than 6 hours); includes dam breaks |
| FLW - Flood Warning |
Long duration (6 hours or more) flooding of tributaries (rivers, etc) onto adjacent plain (possibly causing further damage to
livestock and/or property); can be issued as a follow-up to major flash flooding of which it would take additional hours after the
initial flood for waters to recede |
| FLS - Urban / Small Stream Flood Advisory |
Nuisance or inconvenience type of flooding (pounding of water in low-lying roadways, dips, or underpasses; water flowing through
normal dry channels, but remaining well within banks, etc); not life threatening |
| FLS - Flash Flood Watch |
Atmospheric conditions are favorable for flash flooding |
| WSW |
| Blizzard Warning |
Sustained winds of 35 mph or greater and/or frequent gusts of 45 mph or greater; Visibility less than or equal
to 1/4 of a mile. Stress life threatening nature for temperatures below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. |
| Heavy Snow Warning |
Below 3500 ft: 2" or more in 12 hours or 3" or more in 24 hours.
3500 - 7000 ft: 6" or more in 12 hours or 10" or more in 24 hours.
Above 7000 ft: 8" or more in 12 hours or 12" or more in 24 hours. |
| Winter Storm Warning |
A combination of elements such as gusty winds (not meeting Blizzard Warning criteria), low wind chill readings,
and blowing/drifting snow occurring with snowfall meeting criteria given under Heavy Snow Warning |
| Wind Chill Warning |
Wind chill readings at or below -20 degrees (F) |
| Snow Advisory |
Below 3500 ft: 3" in less than 24 hours or no more than 2" in 12 hours
3500-7000 ft: 3-5" in 12 hours or 5-9" in 24 hours
Above 7000 ft: 4-7" in 12 hours or 7-11" in 24 hours |
| Blowing Snow / Drifting Snow |
Visibility at or below 1/4 of a mile due to considerable blowing snoiw and/or significant drifting snow
(visibility not a requirement for drifting snow) |
| Winter Weather Advisory |
Advisory: Combination of two or more of the following: snowfall amounts meeting Snow Advisory criteria, sleet, freezing
rain or drizzle, and low wind chill |
| Freezing Rain or Drizzle / Sleet Warning |
Any ice accumulation caused by freezing rain, freezing drizzle, or sleet |
| NPW |
High Wind Warning
Inyo County
Rest of the CWA |
Above 5000 feet: Sustained wind speeds of 50 mph (43kts) or more lasting 1 hour or longer and/or frequent
gusts of 70 mph (61 mph) or more of any duration
5000 feet and below: Sustained winds of 40 mph (35 kts) or more lasting 1 hour or longer and/or frequent gusts of 58 mph
(50 kts) or more of any duration
Above 7000 feet: Sustained wind speeds of 50 mph (43 kts) or more lasting
1 hour or longer and/or frequent gusts of 70 mph (61 kts) or more of any duration
7000 feet and below: Sustained winds of 40 mph (35 kts) or more lasting 1 hour or longer and/or frequent gusts of 58 mph
(50 kts) or more of any duration
|
Wind Advisory
Inyo County
Rest of the CWA |
Above 5000 feet: Sustained winds 40-49 mph (35-42kts) or more lasting 3 or more hours and/or winds gusting
from 58-69 mph (~50-60 kts) for any duration
5000 feet and below: Sustained winds 30-39 mph (26-34 kts) lasting 3 or more hours and/or winds gusting from 40-57 mph
(~35-49 kts) for any duration
Above 7000 feet: Sustained winds 40-49 mph (35-42 kts) lasting 3 or more hours
and/or winds gusting from 58-69 mph (~50-60 kts) for any duration
7000 feet and below: Sustained winds
30-39 mph (26-34 kts) lasting 3 or more hours and/or frequent gusts of 40-57 mph
(~35-49 kts) for any duration
|
| Frost / Freeze Warning |
Critically low temperatures for plants; seasonally dependent. Also, consider anytime temperatures are expected below
20 degrees (F) for elevations below 2500 ft. |
| Wind Chill Warning |
Wind chill readings at or below -20 degrees (F) |
| Dust / Sandstorm Warning |
Visibility less than or equal to 1/4 mile for any duration |
| Dense Fog Warning |
Visibility less than or equal to 1/4 mile for any duration |
| Smoke / Volcanic Ash Warning |
Visibility less than or equal to 1/4 mile for any duration caused by geologic, industrial, or manmade pollutants |
| Excessive Heat Warning |
Click here for criteria |
| Lake Wind Advisory |
Sustained winds of 25 mph for 3 hours or more. (If regular wind advisory winds are expected, issue a wind advisory and include a
boaters CTA statement) |
| CEM |
| Avalanche Warning |
Issued upon the request of the BLM when the avalanche hazard outside of controlled ski areas is extreme |
| Acronyms |
- WFO: Weather Forecast Office
- CWA: County Warning Area.The counties that a weather office is responsible for
- CTA: Call to Action. Statements attached to a warning or advisory that has a reccomended action for people to take
- CEM: Civil Emergency Message. An emergency message transmitted by emergency managers, law enforcement, and other agencies.
|
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