Why you’ll no longer see ‘Wind Chill Warnings’ this winter

DES MOINES, Iowa ( WHO-TV ) — Starting this year, the weather alerts used to express the danger of cold air will change.

The terms “Wind Chill Watch” and “Wind Chill Warning” will not be used anymore, the National Weather Service said . Starting with the 2024-2025 winter season, the agency will be replaced with different ways to describe dangerous cold conditions.

Cold weather spells that pose serious risks can now trigger three possible advisories: a Cold Weather Advisory, an Extreme Cold Watch, or an Extreme Cold Warning. The new language will allow the NWS to communicate that cold is dangerous with or without wind.

The types of weather that would trigger these warnings depends on the location and timeframe. In northern Iowa, an Extreme Cold Watch will be issued when it feels like -35 degrees Fahrenheit or colder. It would turn into an Extreme Cold Watch Warning if the threat is imminent, within the next 12 to 36 hours.

Further south, where it’s a bit warmer, the threshold is lower. The rest of the state will need to show signs of it feeling like -30 degrees or colder to go under an Extreme Cold Watch/Warning.

A Cold Weather Advisory, meanwhile, would be used when it feels more like -25 degrees or colder.

Extreme cold is dangerous, the National Weather Service says, because it can quickly cause frostbite and hypothermia. Hypothermia occurs when your body temperature drops below 95 degrees and requires immediate attention.

It doesn’t even need to be below freezing for hypothermia to set in. It can happen when it’s 60 degrees outside if you’re not dressed properly.

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