Winter storm watch vs. warning: What's the difference?
8-12" of snow for D.C. possible in weekend winter storm
FOX 5's Caitlin Roth shares the FOX 5 Weather Team's first estimate of snow totals as we look towards a weekend winter storm with the potential to bring the most snow the D.C. area has seen in years.
WASHINGTON - The Washington, D.C. area is expected to see significant snowfall this weekend—FOX 5's Weather Team says as of Thursday afternoon, models are showing a potential of a foot or more of snow for the D.C. area.
File Photo.
Snow is expected to move from the south to the north, arriving in the D.C. metro area around 8 or 9 p.m. on Saturday.
But what's the difference between a winter storm watch and a warning? Let's delve in.
Watch vs. warning
On a basic level, winter storm watches mean that hazardous weather is possible, while a winter storm warning means that hazardous weather is either imminent or occurring. Watches encourage preparation, while warnings mean "put that preparation to use."
According to the National Weather Service, because watches have to do with action before the storm, they'll typically be issued at least 24 hours in advance of the storm beginning. A winter storm watch also means that the risk of hazardous weather has increased to at least a 50% chance of it occurring.
As the hazardous weather approaches an area, the watch will be upgraded to a warning if necessary, per the NWS. Warnings also indicate that the weather conditions pose a threat to life or property, and that travel will either be difficult or impossible.
What's next:
On Thursday afternoon, the National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch for the entire DMV area from Saturday afternoon through Sunday. Due to the amount of snow that's expected, however, it's important to keep track of whether this watch gets upgraded to a warning.
FIND THE LATEST DC WINTER STORM FORECAST HERE
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The Source: Information above was sourced from the National Weather Service and previous FOX 5 DC reporting.