Special weather statement. Advisory. Message. Watch. Warning. Severe this and that. Confusing?

The National Weather Service thinks so and is considering a proposal to make weather forecasts and terminology much easier to digest for the public.

“The current watch, warning, advisory system is confusing,” said John Paul Martin, NWS Bismarck. “Too many products are being issued.”

An example, said Martin, is that a Weather Advisory is the least understood alerting term used by the NWS and is often confused with a Watch.

“It’s about hazard simplification,” explained Martin. “Right now we provide too much detail.”

The NWS is proposing to eliminate all Advisories. In the past, when three to five inches of snow was in the forecast, the NWS would issue a Winter Weather Advisory. If the new proposals are adopted, the amount of snow would be included in the issuance of regular weather forecasts but without the Advisory headline.

“We’ll forecast the weather. That’s enough. We don’t really need to headline it. That’s what this is all about,” said Martin.

Watches and Warnings would continue. A Watch means conditions indicate there is a possibility of severe weather in the coming hours, such as a blizzard or tornado, while a Warning means severe weather is imminent or occurring.

“Prepare or act. Simple,” said Martin.

The changes have been under consideration by the NWS for several months and still must undergo scrutiny by media, emergency managers, other agencies and the public, including a mandatory comment period, before a final decision can be made. The earliest any change in forecast terminology would take effect is this coming winter or early 2021.

“We’ve been talking about this for about five years and now we are in the final step of the process,” said Martin.