Winter Storm Criteria Changes (Nov 15)

[Ted Jacobson]

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
1100 AM EDT FRI OCT 16 2009

...CHARLESTON NWS CHANGING SOME WINTER STORM PRODUCT CRITERIA...
...EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 15TH 2009...

DURING THE PAST FEW MONTHS...STAFF AT THE NWS WEATHER FORECAST
OFFICE IN CHARLESTON HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING A STUDY TO
RE-EVALUATE OUR WINTER STORM WATCH AND WARNING CRITERIA FOR
HEAVY SNOW. DURING THIS EVALUATION...WE EXAMINED THE FREQUENCY
OF SEVERAL 24 HOUR SNOW ACCUMULATIONS FROM 1 INCH UP TO 6 INCHES.

BASED ON THE RESULTS OF OUR RESEARCH AND AFTER COORDINATION...
WE WILL BE LOWERING THE 12 HOUR WINTER STORM WATCH AND WARNING
SNOWFALL CRITERIA FOR THE 2009-2010 WINTER SEASON TO A COUNTY
AVERAGE OF 4 INCHES FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:

BOYD KY         CARTER KY      GREENUP KY     LAWRENCE KY
ATHENS OH       GALLIA OH      JACKSON OH     LAWRENCE OH
MEIGS OH        MORGAN OH      PERRY OH       VINTON OH
WASHINGTON OH   BOONE WV       CABELL WV      CALHOUN WV
JACKSON WV      KANAWHA WV     LINCOLN WV     LOGAN WV
MASON WV        MCDOWELL WV    MINGO WV       PLEASANTS WV
PUTNAM WV       RITCHIE WV     ROANE WV       WAYNE WV
WIRT WV         WOOD WV        WYOMING WV     BUCHANAN VA
DICKENSON VA

THE 24 HOUR WINTER STORM WATCH AND WARNING SNOWFALL CRITERIA WILL
REMAIN AT 6 INCHES.  HOWEVER THE 12 HOUR ADVISORY CRITERIA WILL BE
LOWERED TO 2 INCHES FOR THE ABOVE COUNTIES.

THE 12 HOUR WINTER STORM WATCH AND WARNING SNOWFALL CRITERIA
FOR THE 2009-2010 WINTER SEASON WILL BE RAISED TO A COUNTY
AVERAGE OF 6 INCHES FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:

POCAHONTAS WV   RANDOLPH WV    WEBSTER WV

WE WILL ALSO RAISE THE 24 HOUR WINTER STORM WATCH AND WARNING
SNOWFALL CRITERIA TO 8 INCHES AND THE 12 HOUR ADVISORY
CRITERIA TO 4 INCHES FOR THE ABOVE COUNTIES.

THE 12 HOUR WINTER STORM WATCH AND WARNING SNOWFALL CRITERIA
FOR THE 2009-2010 WINTER SEASON WILL REMAIN A COUNTY BASED
AVERAGE OF 5 INCHES FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:

BARBOUR WV      BRAXTON WV     CLAY WV        DODDRIDGE WV
FAYETTE WV      GILMER WV      HARRISON WV    LEWIS WV
NICHOLAS WV     RALEIGH WV     TAYLOR WV      TYLER WV
UPSHUR WV

THE 24 HOUR WINTER STORM WATCH AND WARNING SNOWFALL CRITERIA
WILL BE RAISED TO 7 INCHES AND THE 12 HOUR ADVISORY CRITERIA
WILL REMAIN AT 3 INCHES FOR THE ABOVE COUNTIES.

THESE CHANGE WILL BE EFFECTIVE ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 15TH 2009.

CONTACT FOR MORE DETAILS OR TO PROVIDE COMMENTS:

JEFFREY S. HOVIS
SCIENCE AND OPERATIONS OFFICER
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE CHARLESTON WV
304-746-0180
JEFFREY.HOVIS at NOAA.GOV

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming Skywarn Spotter Training  - NWS Charleston, WV
Oct. 21 6pm - Jackson County OH Health Dept Conference Room
               200 E Main Street, Jackson, OH (Basic and Advanced)

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