What is a First Alert Weather Day?

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - We receive many questions regarding our First Alert Weather Days in our forecasts. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers that shed some light on what they mean:

Q: Is a First Alert Weather Day the same as the National Weather Service watch and warning system?

A: No, not exactly. While we value our partnership with the National Weather Service (NWS) and keep in contact with them daily, our First Alert Weather Days are issued by our team of meteorologists and can be called for different reasons than those typically issued by the NWS.

Q: What type of weather calls for a First Alert Weather Day?

A: A First Alert Weather Day can be declared for any type of weather. First Alert Weather Days may be different in the winter months than during the monsoon. The first alert weather team will always indicate why a particular day is a First Alert Weather Day and include the potential impacts in the forecast. Some examples during the monsoon are severe storms, flash flooding, and blowing dust.

Q: How do we know what day is a First Alert Weather Day?

A: Our meteorologists will send out a push alert to our weather app as soon as a First Alert Weather Day is declared. It is our promise to update the forecast with greater regularity than normal on social media, online, on our apps, and on TV. We will also always have a First Alert Weather Day icon on the designated day in our 7-day forecast.

AZFamily's First Alert Weather Mobile App

AZFamily's First Alert Weather App First lets you track storms and get severe weather alerts wherever you are. Get animated radar, hourly and 10-day forecasts, video updates, rainfall totals, and an interactive traffic map. It also provides a 250-meter radar, which is the highest resolution possible. This radar allows you to look into the future so you can see where the storm is headed.