The National Weather Service is changing some of the wording for its cold weather updates.
Although South Dakotans are not strangers to frequently seeing the words “wind chill,” you’re going to have to get used to some new terminology.
Starting in October, National Weather Service is swapping the term “wind chill” to “extreme cold” in its cold season announcements.
Kelly Serr is the Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Aberdeen. She said the clarification points to the danger of more than just wind.
“Wind chill implies that there is wind that is a factor, and wind certainly is a factor in the winter when we’re talking about safety and making sure we can manage the cold in the winter months, but also, especially in South Dakota we are no stranger to very cold temperatures with no wind at all, and that is just as hazardous. The whole change comes about to kind of account for the fact that cold, with or without wind, is dangerous. And so that’s why we’re seeing this change happen,” Serr said.
She also said it’s going to help people understand what’s at stake.
“The whole project, the whole reason for the change came about while working with social scientists and surveying people and talking to people. It’s just easier for people to understand if we are focused on that immediate threat and not necessarily whether wind is involved or not. So, it’s simplifying what we are doing and it’s allowing people to make better decisions when we do have this extreme cold that moves into the area,” Serr said.
Serr said the NWS is still going to distinguish when wind is playing a factor into the temperature feel outside. The new terms just establish a more accurate understanding of what threats are at play.
She also said its important to reassess what the difference between a weather watch, a weather warning and a weather advisory.
- A watch means that a possible weather or water event could be a threat to life and property (there is still uncertainty).
- A warning means that a significant weather or water event is expected to be a threat to life and property (there is high probability).
- An advisory is for less serious weather or water events that, if caution is used, should have little to no significant impacts to life and property.
