You may have noticed the new terminology “Extreme Heat Warnings”. These are new in 2025 and appear be designed to set the fear factor to 11.
In March of 2025, the NWS changed its terminology from ‘Excessive Heat Watches’ to ‘Extreme Heat Watches,’ and from ‘Excessive Heat Warnings’ to ‘Extreme Heat Warnings.’
When Did The NWS Begin Issuing ‘Extreme Heat Advisories?’
This week we, who live in a very dry, high desert, had EXTREME HEAT WARNING plastered over our news and weather forecasts for 91-degree F temperatures – which is a normal, and not close to record breaking summer temperatures. There is no way this is EXTREME for where we live.
Hazard simplification for heat messaging
NWS is renaming its Heat Watch and Heat Warning products to improve messaging. On March 4, 2025, the NWS will implement the following changes:
Excessive Heat Watches will be renamed to Extreme Heat Watches.
Excessive Heat Warnings will be renamed to Extreme Heat Warnings.
This effort is part of the Hazard Simplification Project, which integrates years of public and partner engagements and social science research to improve and evolve our alerting system. Renaming these Watch and Warning products also enables clear and timely decision support.
They used to issue HEAT ADVISORIES but that was not scary enough. They had to ratchet up the fear – the media will note the ClimateCrisistmis worse because HEAT ADVISORIES are now EXTREME HEAT WARNINGS!
