Iowans Will Not See This Specific Winter Weather Warning Anymore

It's getting colder outside.

Sure fall is fun and it's the time of the year that we're first starting to kick on our furnaces after the summer. It's all pumpkin patches and Halloween stuff now.

But before we know it, we'll have the mornings that it's an absolute windy icebox outside and we'll lay in bed debating if we really need our jobs. The first frost of the season isn't too far away.

We turn to our weather peeps at KWQC a lot during the winter, to see how bad we're going to freeze and/or how much snow is going to fall.

For the first time for the 2024-2025 winter, the National Weather Service is switching up a few of their winter alerts. The changes went into place October 1st.

No More Wind Chill Anything

They're scrapping 'wind chill' on things. So now here's what they're becoming:

• Wind Chill Watch= Extreme Cold Watch
• Wind Chill Warning= Extreme Cold Warning
• Wind Chill Advisory= Cold Weather Advisory

It's mainly focusing on when the air itself is going to be super cold, with or without wind.

Less Specific On Freezes

The other part of this change is designating 'freeze' watches and warnings. Now, we'll have this:

• Hard Freeze Watch= Freeze Watch
• Hard Freeze Warning= Freeze Warning

The changes are part of NWS's Hazard Simplification system, as they try to make it as absolutely clear to you to wear a poofy parka instead of a teeshirt as they can.

Meanwhile, let's just go ahead and start the countdown to spring.