Port Columbus International, Ohio

... Wilmington NWS changing some winter storm product criteria...
... Effective November 15th 2009...

During the past year... the NWS Wilmington Ohio weather forecast
office staff have been re-evaluating our Winter Storm Watch and
warning criteria for heavy snow. As a part of this evaluation... we
examined a climatology of local snow events producing various
accumulations. Our results indicated that in many areas near and
north of I-70... the 4 inch snowfall criteria over a 12 hour period
for winter storm watches and warnings is too low.

Based on the results of our research and after coordination... we
will be raising the 12 hour Winter Storm Watch and warning
snowfall criteria for the 2009-2010 winter season to 6 inches for
the following counties:


Fayette indarke OH

Union inmiami OH

Wayne inclark OH

Preble ohchampaign OH

Montgomery ohshelby OH

Greene ohlogan OH

Madison ohunion OH

Franklin ohdelaware OH

Licking OH Mercer OH

Auglaize ohhardin OH


This would also result in an increase of the 24 hour Winter Storm
Watch and warning snowfall criteria from 6 inches to 8
inches... and an increase in the winter storm advisory snowfall
criteria from 2 inches to 4 inches. The change will be effective
on Sunday November 15th 2009.

Contact for more details or to provide comments:

Mary jo Parker
warning coordination meteorologist
National Weather Service
weather forecast office Wilmington OH
937-383-0031
Mary.Parker@noaa.Gov