NWS To Experiment With 'Extreme Cold' Warnings
By Adam Carter, NewsRadio 830 WCCO
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) -- The National Weather Service is experimenting with a new weather warning, one that unfortunately may be exclusive to our neck of the woods.
Extreme Cold Warnings will be issued if the actual temperature reaches 35 degrees below zero or colder, with winds of less than 5 mph. The warning is meant to supplement wind chill advisories and will be tested in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota.
The good news is that doesn't happen too often.
"Our record low (in the metro area) is 40 below," said Todd Krause, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service. "It's going to be a rare thing and hopefully we won't have any kind of that cold this winter but you never know."
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Because the warning is experimental, the National Weather Service will be accepting public comments on the Extreme Cold Warning if one is issued. Weather officials will then decide if the warning should be a permanent option.
The more typical wind chill advisory is issued if the wind chill is between 25 below and 39 below with winds of 5 mph or higher. A wind chill warning is issued if the wind chill is more than 40 degrees below zero and the winds are 5 mph or higher.
Any weather conditions must cover a large area and last for several hours before the weather service issues an advisory or warning.
(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
