Winter Weather AlertsThe National Weather Service uses a watch, warning and advisory system to categorize hazardous weather events. A winter storm watch indicates that conditions are favorable for a winter storm event within the next 24 to 72 hours. A winter storm warning advertises a winter storm event causing a significant threat to life or property. NWS also issues warnings for other types of winter weather, such as lake effect snow, ice storms, and blizzards. Issuance criteria varies across the country and scales with how well-equipped an area is to deal with winter weather.

Source: Daily Sun January 25, 2026 22:16 UTC