ADVISORIES RELATED TO TEMPERATURE You might want to release a weather statement related to excessively high or low temperatures in a given area. We will talk about the heat index at a later time, however, this index and the wind chill index are important factors to consider when you make a weather statement. Let's look at some common temperature related watches and warnings. Excessive heat warning – this indicates that the maximum indices are expected to be exceeded, according to locally defined criteria. Meteorologists release this warning any time they expect more than three hours of high heat in the next forty-eight hours and would try to be reset within twelve hours of onset of the high heat. In most cases, it means temperatures above 105 degrees Fahrenheit and nighttime temperatures above seventy-five degrees Fahrenheit. Excessive heat watch – this is released when you expect conditions to be favorable for the development of high heat conditions within the next seventy-two hours. Extreme cold watches and warnings – you would release this type of warning if the temperatures in the air are less than forty degrees Fahrenheit for three or more consecutive days. This type of watch and warning are only issued currently in Alaska. Freeze watches and warnings – these are released when the shelter temperatures are expected to be thirty-two degrees or lower. You issue a watch when conditions are favorable for this type of event within forty-eight hours and a warning when this type of event is expected within the next 12 to 36 hours. These are issued primarily in agricultural regions to help farmers know that the potential for crop loss is there during a growing season. Hard freeze watches and warnings indicate temperatures below twenty-eight degrees Fahrenheit or when a large area is involved. Frost advisory – this is advisory issued during a growing season when the minimum sheltered temperatures are expected to be between thirty-three and thirty-six degrees Fahrenheit over a large area. You would not issue this type of warning or advisory outside of the growing season.
110
