Blowing Snow Advisory
Encyclopedia
A Blowing snow advisory was issued by the National Weather Service
of the United States
when wind driven snow
reduces surface visibility and possibly hampers traveling. Blowing snow
may be falling snow, or snow that has already accumulated but is picked up and blown by strong wind
s. This advisory was discontinued beginning with the 2008-09 winter season, replaced by the Winter Weather Advisory
for Snow and Blowing Snow.
A similar bulletin is issued by Environment Canada
's Meteorological Service of Canada
but as a Warning.
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
when wind driven snow
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
reduces surface visibility and possibly hampers traveling. Blowing snow
Blowing snow
Blowing snow is snow lifted from the surface by the wind, at a height of 8 feet or more, that will reduce visibility. Blowing snow can come from falling snow or snow that already accumulated on the ground but is picked up and blown about by strong winds. It is one of the classic requirements for a...
may be falling snow, or snow that has already accumulated but is picked up and blown by strong wind
Wind
Wind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...
s. This advisory was discontinued beginning with the 2008-09 winter season, replaced by the Winter Weather Advisory
Winter Weather advisory
A Winter Weather Advisory is issued by the National Weather Service of the United States when a low pressure system produces a combination of winter weather that presents a hazard, but does not meet warning criteria. A Winter Weather Advisory is similar to significant weather advisory, but a...
for Snow and Blowing Snow.
A similar bulletin is issued by Environment Canada
Environment Canada
Environment Canada , legally incorporated as the Department of the Environment under the Department of the Environment Act Environment Canada (EC) (French: Environnement Canada), legally incorporated as the Department of the Environment under the Department of the Environment Act Environment...
's Meteorological Service of Canada
Meteorological Service of Canada
The Meteorological Service of Canada , also known as "The Canadian Weather Service", is a division of Environment Canada, which primarily provides public meteorological information and weather forecasts and warnings of severe weather and other environmental hazards...
but as a Warning.
Example of a blowing snow advisory
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL
659 AM CST MON JAN 2 2009
...NEAR ZERO VISIBILITY BEING REPORTED ACROSS PARTS OF WESTERN
ILLINOIS EARLY THIS MORNING...
.AN INTENSE WINTER STORM WAS MOVING ACROSS WESTERN ILLINOIS EARLY THIS
MORNING BRINGING SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ON STRONG NORTH WINDS. A
BAND OF SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WAS REDUCING VISIBILITY DOWN TO ZERO
IN MANY LOCATIONS ALONG AND WEST OF HIGHWAY 7 AND NORTH OF
HIGHWAY 22. THIS BAND OF SNOW WILL MOVE EAST THROUGH PEORIA...LAKEWATER AND DULUTH THIS MORNING. THE SNOW AND BLOWING
SNOW SHOULD BE TAPERING OFF FROM WEST TO EAST THROUGH THE LATE
MORNING HOURS WITH VISIBILITIES IMPROVING.
KSZ030-031-043>046-065-066-081-090-221800-
/O.CON.KDDC.SB.Y.0002.000000T0000Z-091238T0659Z/
PERRY MO-RANDOLPH-STE GENEVIEVE MO-JEFFERSON MO-MONROE-JERSEY-MACOUPIN-ST LOUIS MO-ST CHARLES MO-MARION-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...PEORIA...DULTH...
HILLSBORO...RANDOLPH CITY...BURNETTE...LAKE MACOUPIN...FESTUS...DESOTO...
LAKEWATER...MONROE PORT...MOUNT MARION...ST. PRESLEY...SAINT LOUIS...SUNSET HILLS...
ARNOLD...FENTON...MAPAVILLE...OTTO
659 AM CST MON JAN 2 2009
...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON
CST TODAY...
A SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST
TODAY.
WIDESPREAD 1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED TO ACCUMULATE ON 25
TO 35 MPH NORTH WINDS THROUGH THE NIGHT AND EARLY MORNING HOURS
SATURDAY. WIND GUSTS WILL EXCEED 40 MPH AT TIMES. THE SNOW AND
BLOWING SNOW WILL CAUSE VISIBILITY TO BE REDUCED TO A QUARTER MILE
OR LESS IN SOME LOCATIONS. CONDITIONS SHOULD BE IMPROVING LATER THIS
MORNING AND AFTERNOON AS THE STORM SYSTEM MOVES EAST OF THE
REGION. TRAVEL SHOULD BE POSTPONED UNTIL CONDITIONS IMPROVE BY
MIDDAY.
A SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY MEANS THAT VISIBILITIES WILL BE
LIMITED DUE TO A COMBINATION OF FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW. USE
CAUTION WHEN TRAVELING...ESPECIALLY IN OPEN AREAS.
$$
GERARD