New: Colour-coded weather alerts
Get your weather forecasts and alerts: Use our mobile app WeatherCAN or visit our Weather Information map. Stay safe during severe weather with guidance from Public Safety Canada.
What are colour-coded weather alerts
Our weather alerts are colour-coded. The colours tell you what risk the weather is to you. Every type of weather alert—Warnings, Advisories, and Watches—now has a colour when it is issued. The weather alert colours move from yellow, to orange, to red, as the potential risk increases.
Alert colours
There are 3 types of alert colours and symbols:
Yellow
- Hazardous weather may cause damage, disruption, or health impacts
- Impacts are moderate, localized and/or short-term
- Yellow alerts are the most common
Orange
- Severe weather is likely to cause significant damage, disruption, or health impacts
- Impacts are major, widespread and/or may last a few days
- Orange alerts are uncommon
Red
- Very dangerous and possibly life-threatening weather will cause extreme damage and disruption
- Impacts are extensive, widespread, and prolonged
- Red alerts are rare
Find out about: solid and dotted lines, and solid and transparent colours on the Weather Information map.
What the colours mean
The same weather can have different impacts, depending on timing, location, and population. That’s why each weather alert has a colour, to tell you the level of impact possible in your area, so you can prepare appropriately.
Here are examples of the different impacts of yellow, orange, and red wind warnings.
Important: These images are demonstrative; they do not show all the potential impacts of wind warnings.
Yellow Warning - Wind
In a Yellow Warning - Wind, you may see:
- some short term utility outages
- larger tree branches broken
- risk of injury from flying or falling debris
Potential impacts from a Yellow Warning – Wind
Long description
Representation of the potential impacts of a Yellow Warning – Wind. A house with a tall tree beside it, a red car and hydro poles in front. No lights are on in the house, branches are scattered in front, a potted plant has blown over, and there is visible damage to the roof.
Orange Warning - Wind
In an Orange Warning - Wind, you may see:
- widespread utility outages
- some roof damage
- small to medium trees snapped
- increased risk of injury from flying or falling debris
Potential impacts from an Orange Warning – Wind
Long description
Representation of the potential impacts of an Orange Warning – Wind. A house with a tall tree beside it, a red car and hydro poles in front. No lights are on in the house, a window is broken, and smaller branches are scattered around. Both potted plants have blown over, the hydro cable has broken, and larger branches have fallen onto the roof and car causing significant damage.
Red Warning - Wind
In a Red Warning - Wind, you may see:
- long duration, widespread utility outages
- structural damage to homes and buildings
- significant damage to trees including orchards and parks
- high likelihood of injury due to flying or falling debris
Potential impacts of a Red Warning – Wind
Long description
Representation of the potential impacts of a Red Warning – Wind. A house with a tall tree beside it, a red car and hydro poles in front. No lights are on in the house and multiple windows are broken, with damage to the house’s siding. Smaller branches and significant debris are scattered around. A hydro pole and power lines have blown over. The tree has fallen onto the roof of the house causing significant damage. Another large branch has fallen on the car.
Remember to always read the full weather alert text, no matter the colour. We always include actions you can take to keep safe. Learn how we choose weather alert colours.
Marine warnings and watches
Marine weather warnings are part of a separate alerting program and do not use colour-coded weather alerts. The Canadian Marine Warning Program will continue to use a single-tier warning system.