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Environment and Climate Change Canada is saying goodbye to its general weather watches and warnings and hello to yellow, orange and red alerts.
The new colour-coded warning system, implemented on Wednesday, changes the way critical information is shared across the country. Each colour represents a different risk and potential impact level and accompany warnings, advisories and watches.
The colour designation is an intersection in the level of confidence of a certain forecast along with its impact.
CBC meteorologist Ashley Brauweiler says the changes align with recommendations from the World Meteorological Organization.
WATCH | Here’s how the new alert system works:
Breaking down Environment Canada’s new weather warning system
Environment and Climate Change Canada has changed the way it classifies its weather warnings. CBC meteorologist Ashley Brauweiler explains.
The lowest and most common alert level is yellow. A yellow warning indicates a chance of localized or short-term moderate impacts, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Impacts of yellow alert-level weather may include delays, cancellations, falling debris like branches and other minor disruptions.
The next level is orange, which covers more significant damage.
“This includes widespread wind storms or ice storms that cause major power outages, and for those winter storms that take a few days to clean up,” said Brauweiler.
She recommends taking action to protect yourself and your property in the event of an orange weather alert.
Post-tropical storm Fiona, which hit some Newfoundland communities in 2022, would have been categorized as a red alert. (Danny Arsenault/CBC)
Red alerts are the most rare and severe. The Environment and Climate Change Canada website says they come with prolonged dangerous and possibly life-threatening weather.
Brauweiler said post-tropical storm Fiona and Snowmageddon are examples of a situation where a red alert would apply to Newfoundland and Labrador.
Alerts will still include information specific to a certain location and weather event to help people prepare accordingly to stay safe.
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