Colour-coded weather alerts new in 2025. [Environment Canada]
Saturday November 29, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Yellow, orange and red!
Environment Canada has shifted to a new system of colour-coded weather alerts.
The weather alert colours move from yellow, to orange, to red, as the potential risk increases (high-five to Trekkies everywhere!).
Weather risk indicator:
There are three types of alert colours and symbols. The colours indicate what risk the weather is to people and communities.
The colour-coded descriptions are more about impacts than the meteorology — as a way to help people and communities prepare for disruptive or extreme weather events.
Every type of weather alert —Warnings, Advisories, and Watches —now has a colour when it is issued.
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Three levels:
Yellow
Hazardous weather may cause damage, disruption, or health impacts
Impacts are moderate, localized and/or short-term
Yellow alerts are the most common
Yellow Warning – Wind
YELLOW WIND WARNING: 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
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
Orange Warning – Wind
ORANGE WIND WARNING: 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
Very dangerous and possibly life-threatening weather will cause extreme damage and disruption
Impacts are extensive, widespread, and prolonged
Red alerts are rare
Red Warning – Wind
RED WIND WARNING: 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.
Marine warnings:
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.
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===== RELATED:
NEWS SECTIONS: WEATHER IMPACTS | EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS | POWER OUTAGES
GOVERNMENT LINK: COLOUR-CODED WEATHER ALERTS (Government of Canada)