ZCZC NYCWRKPS6 000
  TTAA00 KNYC 231547
  CTZ005>012-NJZ002>006-011-NYZ067>081-011000-
  
  PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
  NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE UPTON NY
  600 AM EDT FRI OCT 31 2008
  
  ...THIS IS WINTER WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK... 
  
  PLEASE JOIN THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND THE NEW YORK STATE 
  DISASTER PREPAREDNESS COMMISSION IN PROMOTING WINTER WEATHER 
  EDUCATION INCLUDING SAFETY.
  
  TODAY'S THEME IS WINTER WEATHER WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES.
  
  THIS YEAR THE WINTER WEATHER WARNING AND ADVISORY PHASE HAS BEEN 
  SIMPLIFIED BY LESSENING THE NUMBER OF PRODUCTS. THERE WILL BE FEWER 
  EVENT SPECIFIC WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES. THIS IN TURN WILL REDUCE 
  CONFUSION AND BETTER PREPARE THE SERVED PUBLIC.
  
  THERE WILL BE FOUR WARNINGS: BLIZZARD...ICE STORM...WINTER STORM AND 
  WIND CHILL.
  
  THERE WILL BE THREE ADVISORIES: WINTER WEATHER...FREEZING RAIN AND 
  WIND CHILL.
  
  WATCHES AND WARNINGS ARE ISSUED FOR POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING 
  HAZARDOUS WEATHER. WATCHES ARE ISSUED 12 TO 48 HOURS BEFORE THE 
  EVENT IS EXPECTED. WARNINGS ARE ISSUED UP TO 36 HOURS BEFORE THE 
  EVENT. ADVISORIES ARE ISSUED FOR LESS SERIOUS EVENTS UP TO 36 HOURS 
  BEFORE THEY OCCUR.
  
  A BLIZZARD WATCH AND WARNING WILL BE ISSUED FOR WINDS AVERAGING AT 
  LEAST 35 MPH AND FALLING OR BLOWING SNOW PRODUCING VISIBILITIES LESS 
  THAN 1/4 MILE FOR AT LEAST 3 HOURS.
  
  A WINTER STORM WATCH AND WARNING WILL BE ISSUED FOR...
  
  HEAVY SNOW...WHEN AN AVERAGE OF AT LEAST 6 INCHES IN 12 HOURS OR 8 
  INCHES IN 24 HOURS IS FORECAST.
  
  FREEZING RAIN...WHEN AT LEAST ONE HALF INCH OF ICE IS FORECAST.
  
  A COMBINATION OF HEAVY SNOW...SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN.
  
  A FLOOD WATCH AND WARNING WILL BE ISSUED FOR FLOODING OF RIVERS 
  ...SMALL STREAMS...STREETS AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. HEAVY RAIN 
  LASTING AT LEAST 6 HOURS IS USUALLY A MAJOR CAUSE OF FLOODING.
  
  A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH AND WARNING WILL BE ISSUED FOR AT LEAST 
  WIDESPREAD MODERATE TIDAL FLOODING OF THE SHORES.
  
  A HIGH WIND WATCH AND WARNING WILL BE ISSUED FOR WINDS AVERAGING AT 
  LEAST 40 MPH FOR AT LEAST 1 HOUR OR FOR WIND GUSTS REACHING AT LEAST 
  58 MPH FOR ANY DURATION.
  
  A WIND CHILL WATCH AND WARNING WILL BE ISSUED WHEN THE COMBINATION 
  OF AIR TEMPERATURE AND WIND SPEED PRODUCE WIND CHILL VALUES OF AT 
  LEAST MINUS 25 DEGREES.
  
  ADVISORIES WILL BE ISSUED FOR LOWER AMOUNTS OR VALUES AND COVER 
  WINTER WEATHER...BLOWING SNOW...FREEZING DRIZZLE OR RAIN...DENSE 
  FOG...WIND AND WIND CHILL.
  
  FOR SPECIFIC NWS CRITERIA...ACCESS OUR WINTER WEATHER WEB PAGE AT:
  
  HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OKX/WINTERWEATHER.HTML
  
  SATURDAY'S STATEMENT COVERS WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS.
  
  $$