Advisory: Advisories are issued when events are expected to remain below the warning criteria, but still cause significant inconvenience. Most common in association with snow events.

Watch: A watch tells you that conditions are favorable and there is a pretty good chance that the event may happen. When a watch is issued begin making preparations for the upcoming event. Listen to your local media to know when warnings are issued. Watches are intended to heighten public awareness of the situation.

Warning: A warning means that a certain weather event is IMMINENT. Measures should be taken to safeguard life and property IMMEDIATELY.

Hazardous Weather Outlook: This describes potential hazardous weather and hydrologic information of concern in Days 1 through 7. The outlook contains two (2) segments- one segment for the marine zones and adjacent land-based zones and the other segment for the rest of the land-based zones. Each segment of the outlook will contain three (3) sections; short term through Day 1, long term for Days 2-7, and spotter information.

Special Weather Statement: The Special Weather Statement is designed to provide critical short term hazardous weather information. The time frame of this information is six (6) hours or less. Examples include, but are not limited to high-impact, high-resolution information; timing and impact information for organized convective storms such as derechos, squall lines, etc.; timing and impact information for heavy snow bands; heavy rainfall that is forecast to cause nuisance flooding; high heat indices that are not quite to advisory level; and enhanced fire threat that is not quite to warning level.