National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Heavy Great Lakes Snow through Friday; Extreme Cold and Potential for Major Winter Storm Late Week into this Weekend

Multiple clipper systems will bring cold temperatures and enhance lake-effect snow downwind of the Great Lakes. An arctic blast will bring frigid temperatures accompanied with gusty winds that may lead to dangerous wind chills beginning in the Northern Plains Thursday before expanding to the South and East. An expansive winter storm will start Friday in the Southern Rockies/Plains and Mid-South. Read More >

 
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  Center Weather Service Unit ( )

Mission:

  Center Weather Service Unit Center Weather Service meteorologists provide weather support and consultation to FAA air traffic managers and controllers. Rerouting of aircraft around hazardous weather is based largely on forecasts provided by the CWSU meteorologist. National products issued by the CWSU meteorologist include Center Weather Advisories (CWA) and Meteorological Impact Statements (MIS). The CWA is a short term advisory valid for two hours or less describing areas of hazardous weather in progress or forecast to develop. The MIS is a forecast product valid up to 12 hours describing areas of weather that may impact air traffic operations.

 

Operations:

  CWSU meteorologists provide formal weather briefings to FAA supervisors within the   Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) for the day and evening shifts. Verbal briefings are given to individual controllers at the ARTCC and tower control facilities around the   airspace, as well as to equipment technicians when weather conditions dictate. Two types of written products are also provided by the CWSU meteorologists. The Meteorological Impact Statement (MIS) is a 4 to 12 hour planning forecast of weather conditions expected to impact the   air traffic. The Center Weather Advisory (CWA) is a short-term warning of hazardous weather conditions provided to all aviation interests, including private pilots, towers, flight service stations, and commercial airlines. Thus, a CWA is similar to but more localized than Airmets and Sigmets issued by the Aviation Weather Center (AWC) in Kansas City, Missouri.