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NOUS44 KAMA 181659
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OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-317-190500-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
1159 AM CDT THU APR 18 2024
...NWS AMARILLO TO CHANGE CRITERIA FOR HEAT ADVISORIES AND
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGS...
EFFECTIVE ON MAY 1, 2024, THE CRITERIA FOR HEAT ADVISORIES FOR OUR
EASTERN COUNTIES IN OUR COUNTY WARNING AREA WILL CHANGE TO 105
DEGREES FOR TEMPERATURE AND/OR HEAT INDEX VALUES. ALSO, THE
CRITERIA FOR EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGS FOR OUR EASTERN COUNTIES IN
OUR COUNTY WARNING AREA WILL CHANGE TO 110 DEGREES FOR TEMPERATURE
AND/OR HEAT INDEX VALUES. THIS AREA WILL INCLUDE BEAVER COUNTY,
OKLAHOMA AS WELL AS LIPSCOMB, HEMPHILL, WHEELER AND COLLINGSWORTH
COUNTIES IN TEXAS. CRITERIA FOR OUR HEAT ADVISORIES AND EXCESSIVE
HEAT WARNINGS IN THE REST OF OUR AREA WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED AND
THIS WILL ALLOW FOR ALL COUNTIES IN THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA
PANHANDLES TO HAVE A CONSISTENT CRITERIA FOR THESE HEAT PRODUCTS.
THE PREVIOUS CRITERIA FOR HEAT ADVISORIES IN THESE EASTERN COUNTIES
WAS 110 DEGREES FOR TEMPERATURE AND/OR HEAT INDEX VALUES; FOR
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGS, THIS WAS 115 DEGREES FOR TEMPERATURE
AND/OR HEAT INDEX VALUES.
THE CHANGES TO THE HEAT ADVISORY CRITERIA AND THE EXCESSIVE HEAT
WARNING CRITERIA WILL BETTER REFLECT HEAT IMPACTS ACROSS THE
OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES. IN ADDITION, THESE CHANGES WILL
IMPROVE COLLABORATION AND CONSISTENCY WITH OUR NEIGHBORING NWS
OFFICES IN TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA.
AS A REMINDER, A HEAT ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN THE MAXIMUM
TEMPERATURE AND/OR HEAT INDEX VALUE IS EXPECTED TO REACH CRITERIA
FOR ONE DAY OR MORE, AND/OR WHEN THERE IS AN ELEVATED RISK OF
HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES TO THOSE SENSITIVE TO THE HEAT.
AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN THE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE
AND/OR HEAT INDEX VALUE IS EXPECTED TO REACH CRITERIA FOR ONE DAY
MORE, AND/OR THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES
TO ALL OF THE POPULATION.
HEAT IS THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF WEATHER RELATED FATALITIES IN THE
UNITED STATES. IMPACTS FROM HEAT, INCLUDING HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES
INCREASE WHEN THE TEMPERATURE EXCEEDS 100 TO 105 DEGREES.
ADJUSTING THESE CRITERIA WILL HELP BRING ATTENTION TO POTENTIAL
FOR HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES ACROSS THE COMBINED PANHANDLES.
FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THIS CHANGE, PLEASE CONTACT
MICHAEL GITTINGER, METEOROLOGIST-IN-CHARGE, OR JOANNE CULIN,
WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST, AT 806-335-1121.
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