Since the current map of watches and warnings (Monday morning, December 7–click on the map for the most recent map) looks like a Jackson Pollock painting in progress, with a smattering of various colors and shades, I thought it might be a good time to review the difference between an advisory, watch, and warning.
Current weather watches and warnings (December 7, 2009); courtesy of NOAA
The weather.gov map is color coded and click-able, and it will take you to to local weather service office for more forecast information.
In the above map, please note the red embedded inside of the pink—in Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. This color indicates a blizzard warning. The lime shade embedded within the blue—in eastern Iowa and southern Minnesota is an indication of a blizzard watch.
–Paul Yeager
