Timeline of NWS Severe Convective Weather Products

11--33 Days 24 Hours 1 Hour 3 p.m. Severe Weather Event Before Before Before the Next SWO Day HWO

Watch SWO Significant Weather Outlook Issued as needed to give 1 to 3 day GraphiCast Graphicast Graphicast notice of major severe or winter weather outbreaks. SWA

HWO Hazardous Weather Outlook TOR SVR TOR SVR SVR Issued as HWOFFC daily at 6 a.m. Updated if conditions dramatically changgye. Conveys the threat of SVS hazardous weather expected by 6 a.m. the next day. Conditions FFW FFW forecast include thunderstorm phenomena, winter weather, dense fog, and flooding. Spotter activation FFS messages are included. LSR WCN, FFA Watches PNS Severe Thunderstorm or Tornado Watches are issued as WCN which SWA Significant Weather Advisory FFW Flash Flood Warning includes counties affected by a specific watch. Flash Flood Issued as a Special Weather Indicates imminent or occurring Watches are issues as FFA by the Statement (SPS), but with a flooding characterized by rapid rises local NWS office. A watch indicates “Sign ifican t Wea ther Advi sory” in small creeks, streams, or low- conditions are favorable for a headline. Issued for dangerous water crossings. Issued as needed, phenomenon to occur. WCNs are storms not meeting “severe” criteria. typically up to six hours in duration. typically issued 0-6 hours prior to an Typically issued for one hour or less event, with FFAs issued up to 48 and for only a few counties at a time. SVS Severe Weather Statement hours prior. FFS Flash Flood Statement TOR Tornado Warning GaphiCastGraphiCast SVR Severe Thunderstorm Warning SVS is issued to upd at e exi sti ng A forecaster-annotated map of the Tornado or Severe Thunderstorm Indicates danger is imminent or Warnings. FFS updates Flash Flood weather for the next 1-6 hours. occurring. Severe thunderstorms Available only on NWS web pages. Warnings. Updates activity in/near a contain 1” hail or larger and/or winds county already under a warning. May ≥ 58 mph. Issued as needed, be issued several times during a valid = Alarm sounded on Weather Radio typically for one hour or less. warning. LSR Local Storm Report Issued periodically during and after a severe weather event. This collection of severe weather and damage National reports provides media, emergency managers, and neighboring NWS offices a quick assessment of the event’s severity. Issued as soon as WthWeather possible after reports are received. Service PNS Public Information Statement

A post-event summary issued by 3:00 p.m. the day after a particularly significant or interesting event. Designed for the media, it summarizes noteworthy aspects of the event, including times, locations, Severe Weather pp,henomenon counts, and meteorological conditions Product Suite contributing to the event.

SPS Special Weather Statement

Used as a “catch-all” product for milliscellaneous btbut impor tttant weather-related messages.

Prepared by the National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office Peachtree City, Peachtree City, Georgia Georgia www.weather.gov/atlanta

Cover photo courtesy NOAA Photo Library, NOAA Central Library; OAR/ERL/National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL)