With the winter season upon us, winter weather warnings are bound to arise. The primary goal of a weather event warning is to help keep residents safe during a winter storm. The National Weather Service (NWS) has created a set list of criteria for when they issue a Winter Storm Warning.

We are taking a look at the different type of winter weather alerts ranging from a Winter Storm Warning to an Extreme Cold Warning.

Counties across California and Nevada have been told to prepare for up to 18 inches of snow by the National Weather Service (NWS), which has issued winter weather advisories to affected areas from Thursday into Friday.

Yosemite is under a winter storm warning which was issued by the National Weather Service on Tuesday at 11:33 a.m. The warning is valid from Thursday 1 a.m. until Friday Nov. 14, at 4 a.m.

A gale warning alert means there are high sustained winds or frequent gusts over a body of water, so they're reserved for communities near oceans, sounds or lakes.

A winter storm watch and warning are in effect near the Great Lakes where heavy lake effect snow and strong winds are expected through Monday. Some areas could see up to a foot of snow, creating “dangerous to impossible travel conditions,” according to the National Weather Service (NWS).