Winter has a firm grip across much of the entire nation as we head toward the holidays. Winter alerts are in effect all the way down to the southern tip of Texas and along the Gulf Coast, but an arctic blast for some is a walk in the park for others.

​While some winter weather watches, warnings and advisories are the same no matter where you go, others will differ region to region depending on what weather you’re used to in that area and resources to deal with it.

Some warnings are location-specific; you will not see many Lake-Effect Snow Warnings outside of the Great Lakes, but it’s pretty cut and dry for something like a Freeze Warning. The freezing point is 32 degrees, no matter where you are.

While wind chill is the same wherever you are, the criteria for a Wind Chill Advisory has quite a range across the country. This push of winter weather has Wind Chill Advisories for much of Florida.

What makes up a Wind Chill Advisory for part of the Sunshine State? The National Weather Service issues a Wind Chill Advisory when the expected wind chill will be below 30 degrees. That’s 30 degrees above zero. At that temperature, the folks in the Upper Midwest might consider putting on warmer clothing.

By comparison, the criteria for most of North Carolina is when the wind chill is going to be below zero, and for the most of the Dakotas and Minnesota, it’s a forecast wind chill of less than -25 degrees. Across the state of Alaska, it ranges from -30 to -50 degrees. 

It's a reminder that we all acclimate to our local weather, and what is winter’s chill for some is a mild spring day for others.