PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT   
   NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR   
   600 AM CST WED NOV 13 2013   
      
   ...WINTER WEATHER WATCHES - WARNINGS - AND ADVISORIES...   
      
   NOVEMBER 11TH THROUGH 15TH IS WINTER WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN   
   ARKANSAS. PEOPLE ARE ASKED TO TAKE SOME TIME TO PREPARE FOR   
   THE UPCOMING WINTER SEASON.   
      
   TODAYS TOPIC IS WINTER WEATHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...AND ADVISORIES.   
      
   A WATCH INDICATES THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR A WINTER STORM   
   TO DEVELOP OVER ALL OR PART OF A FORECAST AREA...BUT THE   
   OCCURRENCE...LOCATION...OR TIMING IS STILL UNCERTAIN. WATCHES ARE   
   GENERALLY ISSUED WHEN THERE IS A 50 PERCENT OR GREATER CHANCE   
   OF A WINTER STORM. IN ARKANSAS...WATCHES ARE USUALLY ISSUED 12 TO    
   24 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE ANTICIPATED WEATHER. HOWEVER...THEY    
   CAN BE ISSUED AS MUCH AS 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE. THE TERM WINTER    
   STORM WATCH IS ALWAYS USED NO MATTER WHAT TYPES OF WINTRY    
   PRECIPITATION ARE EXPECTED.   
      
   A WARNING INDICATES THAT WINTER STORM CONDITIONS ARE OCCURRING...   
   IMMINENT...OR HAVE A VERY HIGH PROBABILITY OF OCCURRING. WARNINGS   
   ARE GENERALLY ISSUED WHEN THERE IS AN 80 PERCENT OR GREATER CHANCE   
   OF A WINTER STORM. WARNINGS ARE ISSUED FOR CONDITIONS POSING A    
   THREAT TO LIFE OR PROPERTY. IN ARKANSAS...WARNINGS ARE USUALLY    
   ISSUED FOR WEATHER THAT IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR WITHIN THE NEXT 12    
   HOURS. HOWEVER...THEY CAN BE ISSUED AS MUCH AS 36 HOURS IN ADVANCE.   
       
   AN ADVISORY IS ISSUED FOR SIMILAR CONDITIONS TO A WARNING...EXCEPT   
   THAT CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LESS SERIOUS. IN OTHER WORDS...   
   SNOW OR ICE IS EXPECTED...BUT AMOUNTS WILL BE LESS THAN REQUIRED    
   FOR A WARNING. STILL...CONDITIONS WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT    
   INCONVENIENCE...AND IF CAUTION IS NOT EXERCISED...COULD LEAD TO    
   SITUATIONS THAT MAY THREATEN LIFE OR PROPERTY. IN ARKANSAS...   
   ADVISORIES ARE USUALLY ISSUED FOR WEATHER THAT IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR    
   WITHIN THE NEXT 12 HOURS. HOWEVER...THEY CAN BE ISSUED AS MUCH AS    
   36 HOURS IN ADVANCE.   
      
   HEAVY SNOW WOULD REQUIRE A WATCH AND/OR A WARNING. THE GENERAL    
   DEFINITION OF HEAVY SNOW IS 4 INCHES OR MORE IN 12 HOURS...OR 6    
   INCHES OR MORE IN 24 HOURS. DUE TO THE RELATIVE RARITY OF SNOW IN    
   ARKANSAS AND ELSEWHERE IN THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES...A WATCH OR    
   WARNING COULD BE ISSUED FOR SOMEWHAT SMALLER AMOUNTS. /SEE THE TABLE   
   BELOW FOR HEAVY SNOW CRITERIA IN EACH COUNTY./ IN AREAS OF THE U.S.    
   WHERE SNOW IS MORE COMMON...LARGER AMOUNTS ARE NEEDED BEFORE A WATCH    
   OR WARNING BECOMES NECESSARY.   
      
   AN ADVISORY IS ISSUED FOR SNOW AMOUNTS THAT ARE SMALLER THAN WARNING    
   CRITERIA. FOR EXAMPLE...IF 4 INCHES OF SNOW IS REQUIRED FOR A   
   WARNING TO BE ISSUED...AN ADVISORY WOULD BE ISSUED WHEN 1 TO 3    
   INCHES OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED.   
      
   A BLIZZARD WOULD ALSO REQUIRE A WATCH AND/OR A WARNING. A BLIZZARD   
   IS DEFINED AS SUSTAINED WINDS OR FREQUENT GUSTS OF 35 MPH OR   
   HIGHER...AND CONSIDERABLE FALLING OR BLOWING SNOW CAUSING VISIBILITY   
   TO BE FREQUENTLY LESS THAN 1/4 MILE. NOTE THAT EVEN IF A VERY LARGE   
   AMOUNT OF SNOW FALLS...THIS STILL DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A BLIZZARD   
   UNLESS THE WIND CRITERIA ARE MET ALSO. A BLIZZARD IS AN EXTREMELY   
   RARE EVENT IN ARKANSAS.   
      
   AN ICE STORM WOULD REQUIRE A WATCH AND/OR A WARNING. ICE STORMS OCCUR    
   WHEN FREEZING RAIN DEPOSITS SIGNIFICANT OR DAMAGING AMOUNTS OF ICE...   
   USUALLY 1/4 INCH OF ICE OR MORE. /SEE THE TABLE BELOW FOR ICE STORM   
   CRITERIA IN EACH COUNTY./ FOR LESSER AMOUNTS OF ICE...AN ADVISORY    
   WOULD BE REQUIRED.   
      
   HEAVY SLEET WOULD REQUIRE A WATCH AND/OR A WARNING. THIS IS GENERALLY    
   DEFINED AS SLEET COVERING THE GROUND TO A DEPTH OF 1/2 INCH OR MORE.   
   /SEE THE TABLE BELOW FOR HEAVY SLEET CRITERIA FOR EACH COUNTY./   
   AN ADVISORY WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR LESSER AMOUNTS OF SLEET.   
      
   FREEZE WARNINGS ARE NORMALLY ISSUED FOR THE FIRST FEW FREEZES IN THE    
   FALL AND FOR LATE SEASON FREEZES IN THE SPRING.   
      
   FROST ADVISORIES ARE ISSUED FOR THE FIRST FEW FROSTS IN THE FALL AND   
   FOR LATE SEASON FROSTS IN THE SPRING.    
      
   THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS SIMPLIFIED THE TYPES OF WARNINGS AND    
   ADVISORIES. THE ONLY EVENT-SPECIFIC WARNINGS THAT WILL BE ISSUED IN    
   ARKANSAS ARE BLIZZARD WARNINGS...ICE STORM WARNINGS...AND WIND CHILL    
   WARNINGS. ALL OTHER WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED AS WINTER STORM WARNINGS.    
   LIKEWISE...FOR ADVISORIES...THE ONLY EVENT-SPECIFIC ADVISORIES THAT    
   WILL BE ISSUED ARE FREEZING RAIN ADVISORIES AND WIND CHILL ADVISORIES.    
   ALL OTHER ADVISORIES WILL BE ISSUED AS WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES.    
   WHEN EACH WARNING OR ADVISORY IS ISSUED...THE TEXT WILL STATE WHAT    
   TYPES OF WINTER WEATHER ARE EXPECTED.   
      
   WIND CHILL WARNINGS ARE RELATIVELY NEW. IN THE COUNTIES FOR   
   WHICH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LITTLE ROCK MAKES THE    
   FORECAST...WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED FOR WIND CHILLS OF 15 BELOW   
   ZERO OR LOWER WHEN WINDS AVERAGE 10 MPH OR MORE...AND CONDITIONS    
   ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST FOR AN HOUR OR MORE. DIFFERENT CRITERIA MAY   
   BE USED IN OTHER SECTIONS OF ARKANSAS FOR WHICH WEATHER OFFICES   
   IN TULSA...MEMPHIS...JACKSON MISSISSIPPI...AND SHREVEPORT MAKE   
   THE FORECAST.   
      
   WIND CHILL ADVISORIES...IN THE COUNTIES FOR WHICH THE NATIONAL   
   WEATHER SERVICE IN LITTLE ROCK MAKES THE FORECAST...ARE ISSUED FOR   
   WIND CHILLS OF ZERO DEGREES OR LOWER WHEN WINDS AVERAGE 10 MPH OR    
   MORE...AND CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST FOR THREE HOURS OR   
   MORE. DIFFERENT CRITERIA MAY BE USED IN OTHER SECTIONS OF    
   ARKANSAS FOR WHICH WEATHER OFFICES IN TULSA...MEMPHIS...JACKSON    
   MISSISSIPPI...AND SHREVEPORT MAKE THE FORECAST.   
      
   FREEZING FOG ADVISORIES ARE ISSUED WHEN FOG IS PRESENT WITH    
   TEMPERATURES BELOW FREEZING...AND THE FOG IS EXPECTED TO CAUSE A   
   THIN LAYER OF ICE TO DEVELOP ON BRIDGES...OVERPASSES...AND OTHER   
   ELEVATED ROADWAYS. THE ISSUANCE OF FREEZING FOG ADVISORIES BEGAN   
   AS AN EXPERIMENT 14 WINTERS AGO AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE    
   IN LITTLE ROCK. THE EXPERIMENT WAS A SUCCESS. AS A RESULT...THESE   
   ADVISORIES CAN NOW BE ISSUED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES    
   NATIONWIDE.   
      
                      GENERAL CRITERIA FOR WARNINGS   
      
                   HEAVY SNOW        HEAVY SLEET         ICE STORM    
   COUNTY        12 HRS   24 HRS   12 HRS OR 24 HRS   12 HRS OR 24 HRS    
      
   LITTLE ROCK NWS OFFICE   
   ARKANSAS       4 IN     6 IN       1/2 INCH           1/4 INCH   
   BAXTER         4        6          1/2                1/4    
   BOONE          4        6          1/2                1/4   
   BRADLEY        4	6	   1/2                1/4   
   CALHOUN        4        6          1/2                1/4   
   CLARK          4        6          1/2                1/4   
   CLEBURNE       4        6          1/2                1/4   
   CLEVELAND      4        6          1/2                1/4   
   CONWAY         4        6          1/2                1/4   
   DALLAS         4        6          1/2                1/4   
   DESHA          4        6          1/2                1/4   
   DREW           4        6          1/2                1/4   
   FAULKNER       4        6          1/2                1/4   
   FULTON         4        6          1/2                1/4   
   GARLAND        4        6          1/2                1/4   
   GRANT          4        6          1/2                1/4   
   HOT SPRING     4        6          1/2                1/4   
   INDEPENDENCE   4        6          1/2                1/4   
   IZARD          4        6          1/2                1/4   
   JACKSON        4        6          1/2                1/4   
   JEFFERSON      4        6          1/2                1/4   
   JOHNSON        4        6          1/2                1/4   
   LINCOLN        4        6          1/2                1/4   
   LOGAN          4        6          1/2                1/4   
   LONOKE         4        6          1/2                1/4   
   MARION         4        6          1/2                1/4   
   MONROE         4        6          1/2                1/4   
   MONTGOMERY     4        6          1/2                1/4   
   NEWTON         4        6          1/2                1/4   
   OUACHITA       4        6          1/2                1/4   
   PERRY          4        6          1/2                1/4   
   PIKE           4        6          1/2                1/4   
   POLK           4        6          1/2                1/4   
   POPE           4        6          1/2                1/4   
   PRAIRIE        4        6          1/2                1/4   
   PULASKI        4        6          1/2                1/4   
   SALINE         4        6          1/2                1/4   
   SCOTT          4        6          1/2                1/4   
   SEARCY         4        6          1/2                1/4   
   SHARP          4        6          1/2                1/4   
   STONE          4        6          1/2                1/4   
   VAN BUREN      4        6          1/2                1/4   
   WHITE          4        6          1/2                1/4   
   WOODRUFF       4        6          1/2                1/4   
   YELL           4        6          1/2                1/4   
      
   TULSA NWS OFFICE   
   BENTON         4        6          1/2                1/4   
   CARROLL        4        6          1/2                1/4   
   CRAWFORD       4        6          1/2                1/4   
   FRANKLIN       4        6          1/2                1/4   
   MADISON        4        6          1/2                1/4   
   SEBASTIAN      4        6          1/2                1/4   
   WASHINGTON     4        6          1/2                1/4   
      
   SHREVEPORT NWS OFFICE   
   COLUMBIA       4        4-6        1/2                1/4   
   HEMPSTEAD      4        4-6        1/2                1/4   
   HOWARD         4        4-6        1/2                1/4   
   LAFAYETTE      4        4-6        1/2                1/4   
   LITTLE RIVER   4        4-6        1/2                1/4   
   MILLER         4        4-6        1/2                1/4   
   NEVADA         4        4-6        1/2                1/4   
   SEVIER         4        4-6        1/2                1/4   
   UNION          4        4-6        1/2                1/4   
      
   MEMPHIS NWS OFFICE   
   CLAY           4        6          1/2                1/4   
   CRAIGHEAD      3        4          1/2                1/4   
   CRITTENDEN     3        4          1/2                1/4   
   CROSS          3        4          1/2                1/4   
   GREENE         4        6          1/2                1/4   
   LAWRENCE       4        6          1/2                1/4   
   LEE            3        4          1/2                1/4   
   MISSISSIPPI    3        4          1/2                1/4   
   PHILLIPS       3        4          1/2                1/4   
   POINSETT       3        4          1/2                1/4   
   RANDOLPH       4        6          1/2                1/4   
   ST. FRANCIS    3        4          1/2                1/4   
      
   JACKSON NWS OFFICE   
   ASHLEY         2        2          1/2                1/4   
   CHICOT         2        2          1/2                1/4   
      
   IMPORTANT NOTE...THE AMOUNTS SHOWN ABOVE ARE THE AMOUNTS GENERALLY   
   USED FOR WARNING CRITERIA. WARNINGS MAY...AT TIMES...BE ISSUED FOR   
   AMOUNTS SOMEWHAT LESS THAN SHOWN ABOVE. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE   
   FOR EARLY AND LATE SEASON STORMS AND THOSE THAT WILL HAVE UNUSUAL   
   IMPACTS ON THE PUBLIC. ALL WARNINGS THAT ARE ISSUED WILL STATE   
   SPECIFICALLY THE AMOUNTS THAT ARE EXPECTED FROM THAT PARTICULAR   
   STORM.   
      
   &&   
      
   PLEASE VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT   WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/LZK   
      
   $$   
      
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