Severe Thunderstorms for Mid-Atlantic and Northeast; Typhoon Approaching Guam

A cold front will sweep eastward today accompanied by strong to severe thunderstorms for the mid-Atlantic and Northeast today. In the wake of this cold front, autumn like temperatures and gusty winds from the Plains, Mississippi Valley, Great Lakes to most of the eastern seaboard. Fire weather conditions for lower Mississippi Valley into portions of California. For Guam, a typhoon is approaching. Read More >

What is being proposed?

To change the name of the “Small Craft Advisory” to a “Small Craft Warning”. The threshold criteria for the product would remain the same, which for the nearshore waters of Lake Michigan is, "Sustained winds or frequent gusts between 22 and 33 knots inclusive, and/or waves greater than 4 feet." The change is simply in the name.

Why is this change being proposed?

The National Weather Service (NWS) is considering a major change to the Watch, Warning, and Advisory (WWA) system.

For information on this and other proposed changes see: https://www.weather.gov/hazardsimplification/

As part of the proposed new system, the NWS would remove the terms "Advisory," "Special Weather Statement," and "NOWcast" as headlines and streamline all sub-Watch and sub-Warning information into a single, plain language statement, with a few exceptions. One exception to this change includes the marine Small Craft Advisory (SCA) product. Due to the critical nature and use of the information in the Small Craft Advisory product and the fact that associated conditions require vessels of a certain size to take protective action, the NWS proposes renaming this product "Small Craft Warning" instead of converting it to a plain language statement. The NWS regional criteria for issuing Small Craft Advisories would remain the same for Small Craft Warnings.

Here is a link to the current regional SCA criteria: https://www.weather.gov/marine/faq#13

Where can I find more information about this proposal?

A description of the proposal to change the Small Craft Advisory to a Small Craft Warning, product
examples, and requirements explanation can be found at the following link:
https://nws.weather.gov/products/PDD/PDD_ProposaltoChangeSmallCraftAdvisorytoWarning_2020.pdf

How can I share my feedback?

Please provide feedback by taking the survey at this link through May 24, 2020: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VZGX6BF

MKX RSS Feed

Severe Thunderstorms for Mid-Atlantic and Northeast; Typhoon Approaching Guam

Soliciting Comments on Proposal to Change Small Craft Advisory to Small Craft Warning through May 24, 2020