MINNEAPOLIS — The National Weather Service is changing its cold weather alerts and messaging this week, doing away with familiar terms like “wind chill watch” and “wind chill warning.”

The changes, which come just as cooler temps begin to roll in, is part of the National Weather Service’s (NWS) Hazard Simplification initiative. The initiative has reduced the number of alerts in recent years based on feedback from the public that the terminology and the number of alerts are confusing.

The goal is to reinforce that cold can be dangerous with or without wind, said NWS Twin Cities meteorologist Jake Beitlich. The agency said wind chill warnings have helped to create a misconception that extreme cold is only a threat when it’s windy outside.

As a result, past arctic air outbreaks that brought -25 or -30 degree temperatures did not necessarily trigger wind chill warnings from the NWS.

“We want folks to know when it’s going to be dangerously cold, either because the air temperature is very cold, or the combination of the air temperature and the wind makes it very cold,” Beitlich said.

Here are the ways extreme cold and freezes will be renamed or consolidated.

Wind Chill Watches will be renamed to an Extreme Cold Watch.

Wind Chill Warnings will be renamed to an Extreme Cold Warning.

Wind Chill Advisory will be renamed a Cold Weather Advisory.

Hard Freeze Watches will be renamed to a Freeze Watch.

Hard Freeze Warnings will be consolidated to a Freeze Warning.

The criteria for these cold alerts to be issued varies based on region. For the Twin Cities area, -25 degree air temperature or combination of air temperature and wind. For the St. Cloud and areas north, it drops down to -30 degrees.

“It needs to be colder as you get north for an advisory, versus if you’re in the central or southern part of the state,” Beitlich said.

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