Environment and Climate Change Canada has launched a major overhaul of its national weather alert system, introducing colour-coded warnings designed to help Canadians quickly understand the severity of approaching weather hazards.
New Three-Colour Warning System
The updated system, announced on November 28, 2025, replaces traditional alerts with a three-colour scale ranging from yellow to orange to red. Each colour corresponds to a different level of seriousness and potential impact from weather events.
This new approach will make it easier to quickly understand the severity of extreme weather and its expected risk at a glance, according to the weather service. The modernization aligns with international best practices promoted by the World Meteorological Organization.
What Each Colour Means
The colour-coded system covers all types of weather alerts including warnings, advisories and watches. Environment Canada emphasizes that the new system helps people understand what weather will do in addition to what it will be.
Yellow Alerts: Moderate Risk
Yellow alerts will be the most frequently issued warnings, indicating hazardous weather that may cause moderate, localized, and/or short-term impacts. These could include damage, disruption or health effects.
For example, a Yellow Warning – Wind might result in short-term utility outages, broken tree branches, and some risk of injury from flying debris.
Orange Alerts: Severe Conditions
Orange warnings signal severe weather likely to cause major damage and disruption that could be widespread and potentially last several days.
During an Orange Warning – Wind, Canadians might experience widespread power outages, roof damage, snapped trees, and increased injury risk from flying or falling debris.
Red Alerts: Extreme Danger
Environment Canada expects red alerts will be rare but critically important. These warnings indicate very dangerous and potentially life-threatening weather that could cause extreme damage and prolonged disruption.
A Red Warning – Wind would suggest long-duration power outages, structural damage to buildings, significant tree damage, and high likelihood of injuries.
Historical Context for Severe Weather
The weather service provided examples of past events that would have triggered red alerts under the new system. These include the devastating 1998 ice storm in Ontario and Quebec that crippled transmission towers, the 2020 Snowmageddon in St. John's, Newfoundland that buried the city, and the 2021 atmospheric river in British Columbia that severely damaged highways.
Weather alerts can be issued for numerous hazards including thunderstorms, heavy rain or snow, blowing snow, strong winds, and extreme heat. The colour-coded system aims to provide immediate clarity about the level of danger each weather event presents.
This significant update to Canada's weather warning system represents part of the ongoing modernization of the country's public weather program, ensuring Canadians receive clear, actionable information to stay safe during severe weather events.
