Good Weather Limits Use of New Weather Alerts

October 24, 2014

The Storm Prediction Center has two new threat levels for its weather outlooks, but the weather is too nice for anyone to really notice.

Effective Wednesday, the center can say if days with a “slight risk” of severe weather should instead be labeled “enhanced” or “marginal.” The risk categories of “high” and “moderate” remain.

Forecasters made the change after finding that some days with a slight risk of tornadoes, hail or high winds ended up with fairly nasty storms.

No severe storms are predicted in the country for at least the next week.

The center traditionally targeted local forecasters with advisories known as “convective outlooks,” but now they can be found online. The system now has five levels – like scales for tornado damage and hurricane strength.