KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – There have been some changes to how the National Weather Service issues some of our winter alerts.

One of the changes is with frost/freeze alerts, as warnings and advisories are only issued between May 1 and September 30.

Tennessee is implementing this data as a growing season and a way to draw attention to a more anomalous period of colder weather.

One caveat is that people in southeastern Kentucky are excluded from the changes because the state of Kentucky has not adopted the new method.

“Tennessee is going with this data for the main growing season, and Kentucky hasn’t accepted that yet, but things could change for them in the future depending on how well they do,” warned the National Weather Service’s coordinating meteorologist Morristown Anthony. Cavallucci said.

So for those looking for that extra reminder, head over to the WVLT First Alert weather app as we bring you the First Alert for Colder Temperatures.

Freeze/freeze alerts aren’t the only things changing, as wind chill warnings and advisories disappear.

In its place will be extreme cold watches and warnings. This will combine both cold temperatures and wind chill.

“We went from wind chill advisory to extreme cold,” Cavallucci said. “So much for extreme cold warning and extreme cold warning. Then your life is in danger, especially in the warning situation. But we won’t issue them unless the temperature drops to zero degrees or much lower.”

Cold weather advisories will be issued when temperatures approach 5 degrees, extreme cold watch and warning will be issued when we are 5 below zero or colder.

“Winter weather, when we talk about warnings, develops more slowly, but you can still prepare ahead of time,” Cavallucci said. “Winter storm watches, that’s when you’ll want to go buy all the bread and milk, not during the warning.”

The criteria for winter storm watches and warnings remains the same, but for those in East Tennessee it’s something to watch as our cold season approaches.

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