Pennsylvania: New cold weather terminology you should know

New cold weather terminology: What Pennsylvanians should know

The National Weather Service will issue "cold weather" alerts starting this winter.

It may seem hard to believe, but Ol' Man Winter isn't too far off. We know winters in western Pennsylvania can bring a combination of messy precipitation and biting cold air.The National Weather Service has consolidated and simplified the cold weather headlines that it issues. Cold Weather Advisory, Extreme Cold Watch and Warning will replace Wind Chill Advisory, Watch, and Warning. The new alerts will still take into account cold temperatures, wind, and wind chills.Specific criteria must be met before a cold weather alert can be issued by the National Weather Service. Even around western Pennsylvania the threshold varies north to south.Cold Weather Advisory is issued for temperatures/wind chills of: -10° to -15° for most the Pittsburgh area -15° to -25° for Mercer/Venango/Forest countiesExtreme Cold Watch and/or Warning are issued for temperatures/wind chills below: -20° for most of our area -25° for Mercer/Venango/Forest counties A few key terms to remember.

It may seem hard to believe, but Ol' Man Winter isn't too far off. We know winters in western Pennsylvania can bring a combination of messy precipitation and biting cold air.

The National Weather Service has consolidated and simplified the cold weather headlines that it issues. Cold Weather Advisory, Extreme Cold Watch and Warning will replace Wind Chill Advisory, Watch, and Warning. The new alerts will still take into account cold temperatures, wind, and wind chills.

Specific criteria must be met before a cold weather alert can be issued by the National Weather Service. Even around western Pennsylvania the threshold varies north to south.

Hearst OwnedCold Weather Advisory is issued for temperatures/wind chills of:

-10° to -15° for most the Pittsburgh area

-15° to -25° for Mercer/Venango/Forest counties

Hearst OwnedExtreme Cold Watch and/or Warning are issued for temperatures/wind chills below:

-20° for most of our area

-25° for Mercer/Venango/Forest counties

A few key terms to remember.

Warning: hazardous weather conditions are occurring or imminent and could pose a threat to life or property

Advisory: the weather may cause a significant inconvenience and could lead to a dangerous situation if caution is not exercised.

Very cold weather can be a health hazard. The bitter temperatures can rob your body warmth, especially when it's combined with a strong wind. That's why we talk about the wind chill; it is based on the rate of heat loss on exposed skin.

Hypothermia and frostbite can occur when exposed to the cold for prolonged periods of time. These dangerous weather conditions can develop more quickly when the wind chill become more of a factor. It is important to dress properly for the conditions. Dress in warm, loose-fitting layers (the outer layer should be water resistant,) wear a hat; and mittens are better than gloves.