Some of the long-standing winter weather watches, warnings and advisories are being simplified by the state weather agency.

The National Weather Service surveyed the public to find out if they understood some of the winter warnings they issued. The NWS has determined that some of these advisories should be simplified.

The biggest change is in the dangerously cold weather and the way you are warned about this bitter cold.

A wind chill warning becomes a cold weather warning. The wind chill clock changes to the extreme cold clock. The Wind Chill Warning changes to the Extreme Cold Warning.

The philosophy behind this change is that dangerous cold can occur with or without wind. The NWS had an extreme cold warning, but I've never seen that used. Most dangerous colds in Michigan are associated with very cold winds, but that may not always be the case. With the focus now on monitoring or warning for extreme cold, the NWS offices in Michigan could warn us of extreme cold without strong winds.

The temperature that triggers an extreme cold warning or warning is not an accurate number throughout the United States. Temperatures depend on what a particular area considers dangerously cold.

A cold warning is issued for Lower Michigan when the temperature, whether actual temperature or wind chill, may fall to 15 degrees below zero.

The extreme cold warning and warning is issued when a temperature of 25 degrees below zero, with or without wind, is possible (caution) or probable (warning).

There used to be no weather warning associated with a calm morning with temperatures down to 25 degrees below zero.

Hard freezes have also been discontinued and switched to pure freeze watches and freeze warnings. Who's to say a freeze is “hard” or not? To avoid confusion, the “hard” part of a freeze watch or warning has been deleted.

The biggest impact for you this winter is that the NWS now has a way to alert you when dangerous cold without wind occurs.