Severe Weather Terminology (United States) - Wind and Tropical Cyclones

Wind and Tropical Cyclones

Wind alerting is classified into groups of 2 beaufort numbers, beginning at 6-7 for the lowest class of wind advisories. The last group includes 3 beaufort numbers, 14-16. The actual alerts can be categorized into 3 classes: maritime wind warnings, land wind warnings, and tropical cyclone warnings. Advisory-force and gale-force winds will not trigger a separate wind advisory or warning if a Blizzard warning is already in effect. However, as seen with Hurricane Sandy, if widespread high wind warnings are in effect prior to the issuance of a blizzard warning, the high wind warnings may be continued.