A Special Weather Statement (
SAME event code SPS) is a form of weather advisory. Special Weather Statements are issued by the
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service (NWS) is an agency of the United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weather-related products to organizations and the public for the ...
of the United States (the NWS) and the
Meteorological Service of Canada
The Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC; french: Service météorologique du Canada – SMC) is a division of Environment and Climate Change Canada, which primarily provides public meteorological information and weather forecasts and warnings o ...
(the MSC). There are no set criteria for special weather statements in either country.
United States
A Special Weather Statement may be issued by the NWS for hazards that have not yet reached warning or advisory status or that do not have a specific code of their own, such as widespread
funnel cloud
A funnel cloud is a funnel-shaped cloud of condensed water droplets, associated with a rotating column of wind and extending from the base of a cloud (usually a cumulonimbus or towering cumulus cloud) but not reaching the ground or a water su ...
s. They are also occasionally used to clear counties from severe weather
watches
A watch is a portable timepiece intended to be carried or worn by a person. It is designed to keep a consistent movement despite the motions caused by the person's activities. A wristwatch is designed to be worn around the wrist, attached b ...
.
Special Weather Statement
/ref> Occasionally, special weather statements appear as heat advisories. An EAS activation can and may be requested on very rare occasions.
Special Weather Statements may also be issued for possible fire weather conditions, such as an enhanced risk. Sometimes, Special Weather Statements may be issued to update on current weather conditions, but that is mostly issued by a Short Term Forecast.
Canada
Special Weather Statements are issued by the MSC for weather events that are unusual or those that cause general inconvenience or public concern and cannot adequately be described in a weather forecast. These may include widespread events such as Arctic outflows, Alberta clipper
An Alberta clipper, also known as an Alberta low, Alberta cyclone, Alberta lee cyclone, Canadian clipper, or simply clipper, is a fast-moving low-pressure system that originates in or near the Canadian province of Alberta just east of the Rock ...
s, coastal fog banks, areas of possible thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorms are some ...
development, and strong winds such as chinooks and les suetes winds. They are written in a free style and may also reflect warnings in effect near the United States border.
See also
*Severe weather terminology (United States)
This article describes severe weather terminology used by the National Weather Service (NWS) in the United States. The NWS, a government agency operating as an arm of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) branch of the United ...
*Severe weather terminology (Canada)
This article describes severe weather terminology used by the Meteorological Service of Canada, a branch within Environment and Climate Change Canada. The article primarily describes various weather warnings, and their criteria. Related weather s ...
References
External links
United States National Weather ServiceCanadian Weather Warning Terminology
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Statements
Weather warnings and advisories