WPC’s winter severity index and its chances of snow and ice, and NWS’s winter and cold alerts. WPC draws for the lower 48.
NWS winter alerts: Feed current; checked .
WPC selected map: Feed current; checked .
WPC discussion: Feed current; checked .
Checked means retrieved, not newly issued. Each graphic retains its issue, observation, initialization or valid time. Site publishing status is separate.
Snow on the ground — NOHRSC pictures and retained history. Source analysis with qualified metadata times; separate from WPC’s winter forecasts and NWS warnings.
WPC: “WSSI does not depict official warnings and should always be used in context with official NWS forecasts and warnings.”
WPC’s WSSI-P chance
| Day 1 | Moderate Impacts |
|---|---|
| Day 2 | Winter Weather Area |
| Day 3 | Winter Weather Area |
| Days 1–3 | Moderate Impacts |
What drives it, Days 1–3: Snow amount: Winter Weather Area, Snow load: Winter Weather Area, Ice accumulation: Winter Weather Area and Blowing snow: Moderate Impacts.
| Amount | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| At least 4 inches of snow | Slight, 10%+ | under 10% | under 10% |
| At least 8 inches of snow | under 10% | under 10% | under 10% |
| At least 12 inches of snow | under 10% | under 10% | under 10% |
| At least a quarter inch of ice | under 10% | under 10% | under 10% |
Each level is the highest WPC has drawn anywhere. WSSI’s levels and WPC’s chances are two products on two scales: a Moderate impact is not a Moderate chance.
72 NWS winter and cold alerts in the country: Freeze Warning, Freeze Watch and Frost Advisory.
72 alerts in the country, in force or to come, by event as NWS names them.
NWS issues most winter alerts by forecast zone; a zone is a county or part of one. A Snow Squall Warning is drawn by NWS around the squall. NWS’s warnings on the Live map Storm Mode
WPC’s Probabilistic Heavy Snow and Icing Discussion, issued , for to . WPC’s words, as written. Data: NOAA/NWS/WPC.
WPC named no region in this discussion.
The probability of significant snow and ice across the CONUS is less than ten percent
Snell
Probabilistic Heavy Snow and Icing Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 207 PM EDT Fri Oct 16 2026 Valid 00Z Sat Oct 17 2026 - 00Z Tue Oct 20 2026 The probability of significant snow and ice across the CONUS is less than ten percent Snell
Not an official warning service. Warnings and watches are the National Weather Service’s, outlooks and reports the Storm Prediction Center’s and the Weather Prediction Center’s (Data: NOAA/NWS, NOAA/SPC, NOAA/WPC). When a warning is issued for you, act on it, and use weather.gov or a NOAA Weather Radio for where you are.
