DENVER (KDVR) — Winter weather watches, advisories and warnings are issued in Colorado every winter, but do you know the difference?
First, a winter storm watch is issued within three days of winter conditions affecting the area. When the watch is released, details like timing and intensity are still coming together.
As winter storm impacts approach, this watch will become either a winter storm warning or a winter weather advisory.
Winter storm warnings for lower elevations in Colorado, such as metro Denver, mean heavy snowfall could accumulate to 6 inches or more in 12 hours, or 8 inches or more in 24 hours. In the mountains, a winter storm warning is issued when 8 inches of snow is expected to accumulate in 12 hours, or 12 inches or more of snowfall is expected in 24 hours.
Winter weather warnings have a lower threshold for snowfall. In lower elevations, a winter weather advisory is issued for 3-6 inches of snowfall within 12 hours. In the mountains, warnings are issued for totals approaching 4-8 inches within 12 hours.
Regardless of whether a winter alert, advisory or advisory is issued for an area, the main impact is usually travel difficulty due to blowing snow and accumulating snowfall.
A micro-weather alert day has been issued for Saturday for the same reason that winter weather warnings and winter storm warnings are in effect from Friday evening into Saturday. Bands of heavy, wet snow will fall and make travel very difficult across the Front Range.
