Explainers

Winter Storm Watch vs. Warning vs. Winter Weather Advisory: What Each Means

By Ryan Hall, Y'all Weather Desk · Published November 10, 2026, 2:31 PM ET

Written by our automated news desk from National Weather Service data.

A Winter Weather Advisory means snow, blowing snow, ice, sleet or a mix is expected but should not be hazardous enough for a warning, while a Winter Storm Watch means a significant winter storm is possible, so get ready. A Winter Storm Warning means hazardous winter weather is happening, about to happen or very likely, and travel could be difficult or impossible in some situations.

These explanations are based on the National Weather Service's definitions for each alert.

Winter Weather Advisory

An advisory covers winter weather that is a real nuisance but a step below a warning. Snow, blowing snow, ice, sleet or a mix is expected, and it meets the local advisory criteria without reaching the local warning criteria. An advisory can also be issued based on impacts alone.

The Weather Service describes these as less serious conditions that still cause significant inconvenience. If people don't use caution, they could turn into situations that threaten life or property. An advisory is issued when forecasters have 80 percent or greater confidence of meeting local criteria, so it is not a "maybe."

Winter Storm Watch

A watch means the ingredients are lined up for a winter event that could meet or exceed your area's warning criteria. The hazards can be snow, snow and blowing snow, snow and ice, snow and sleet, freezing rain or lake effect snow.

A watch goes out when there is 50 percent or greater confidence in that kind of event, and it goes out early. That is the point of it. It gives you time to plan before the storm gets close.

Winter Storm Warning

A warning means a hazardous winter event is happening, about to happen or very likely. It is issued with 80 percent or greater confidence of meeting local criteria. It is used for conditions that threaten life or property.

A warning can come from snow, ice or sleet meeting the local warning criteria. Lake effect snow can trigger one too, at the regional office's discretion. A mix of snow, ice, sleet and blowing snow qualifies if at least one of them meets the criteria. A warning can also be impact-driven, which means a storm that won't reach the usual amounts can still earn one if the effects will be big.

Some storms get their own single-hazard warning instead. These include the Blizzard Warning (wind and blowing snow), the Ice Storm Warning (ice) and, in regions that use it, the Lake Effect Snow Warning.

Two terms come up a lot in these alerts. Freezing rain is rain that freezes when it hits the ground, coating roads, walkways, trees and power lines with ice. Sleet is rain that turns to ice pellets before it reaches the ground, and it makes roads slippery too.

Why the snow needed for a warning differs from place to place

Each local Weather Service office sets its own snow criteria, so the numbers vary across the country. The agency also publishes a national map of them at www.weather.gov/snow-criteria. The amount that triggers a Winter Storm Warning in the Northern Plains is typically much higher than the amount needed in the Southeast.

The criteria are also guidance, not hard lines. Forecasters can issue an advisory or a warning for a smaller snowfall that hits near rush hour or early in the season, even when the amounts fall short of the usual numbers. So a "light" snow can still come with a warning.

What to do

• Advisory (be aware): Plan for winter driving conditions and possible travel difficulties. If you have to drive, use caution.
• Watch (be prepared): Treat it as your head start. A significant storm is possible, whether heavy snow, heavy sleet, an ice storm, heavy snow with blowing snow, or a combination. Get your plans ready now, since the watch exists to give you lead time.
• Warning (take action): Delay your travel plans until conditions improve. Travel may be difficult or impossible in some situations, and the warning is for conditions that threaten life or property.

To see which alerts are up for your county right now, check the live warnings page, and see how much snow is forecast on our snow forecasts page. For where the next big storm is headed, see our winter storm outlook.

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