Human-readable definitions of Alert Types

[6TELOIV]

In the FEMA mobile app, they provide definitions for every NWS alert type (what it is, when it is issued), which is extremely helpful for end users to understand what an alert is and why they would recieve it. As an example, most people wouldn't know the difference between:

• Fire Warning
• Red Flag Warning
• Fire Weather Watch
• Extreme Fire Danger

In looking for a comprehensive list what each alert is and why they would be issued, I couldn't find anything. Is it possible to add this to the API? Perhaps at /alert/types/definitions or /alert/definitions?

So far, I have found the following resources in my research, but none of them are comprehensive:

• NWS Glossary: contains a lot of definitions, but is missing some (like Fire Weather Watch and Extreme Fire Danger)
• Baltimore/Washington Watch/Warning/Advisory Defenitions: also has a lot of definitions, but not all (especially non-weather ones, like Radiological Hazard Warning)
• Boston/Norton Watch/Warning/Advisory Criteria: mostly weather, and provides the definitions in a format or "what causes the alert to be issued" rather than "what does this alert mean, in general". Also doesn't include non-weather alerts.
• Memphis Non-weather Related Emergency Message Description Guidelines: contains definitions for most of the non-weather alert types

[dwhitemv25]

The parameters for issuance for alerts are set by the WFO, reflecting local weather situations. For example, here are the parameters for PQR (Portland, OR). Notice there are criteria based on specific local situations, i.e. under Flash Flood Warning and High Wind Warning.

Red Flag Warning is one of the special exception names. It is coded as Fire Weather Warning. The other one is Wind Advisory, its coded as a High Wind Advisory.

There is a list of the products a given WFO may issue in API under the /products/locations/{locationId}/types endpoint. The locationId is the 3-letter WFO code in capitals. This query will return the 3-letter product code and the title.

A reference for all the titles is located at https://www.weather.gov/source/datamgmt/xr04_X_ref_by_NNN.html.

[6TELOIV]

Thank you for your reply!

This is interesting for defining the criteria for certain alerts in a certain location. However, there's a few issues:

1. From what I can tell, TAE (my area) doesn't have info like Portland, OR's publicly available.
2. This still doesn't give me a mapping to the Alert types present in the API (for example, the Portland, OR one gives info about "Tornado Emergencies", but those are not a special entry in the API and will just show up as a Tornado Warning)

The https://api.weather.gov/products/locations/TAE/types endpoint is helpful, but it again is missing the mapping from "here's the products we have" to "here's the alert types we can issue".

[dwhitemv25]

Email/call your WFO for their criteria.

This still doesn't give me a mapping to the Alert types present in the API (for example, the Portland, OR one gives info about "Tornado Emergencies", but those are not a special entry in the API and will just show up as a Tornado Warning)

I'm not understanding what mapping you're requesting then. You're right that the 'xxx Emergency' items aren't NWS alerts (they may be guidance for issuing WEA/media releases), but the rest of them are and map to NWS alerts and VTEC codes. Can you provide examples of what maps and what doesn't?

[scadergit]

I would reach out to FEMA to ask if they described those or if the descriptions were provided by the NWS. If FEMA did, ask for the list, if they claim NWS did, then ask who their contact was. Either way, let us know what you find out, curious as well.