Tornado Watches and Tornado Warnings - What's the Difference?

You hear then frequently in the springtime, the weathermen are saying there is a tornado watch in effect, or a tornado warning. These may sound the same but they are completely different levels of notices. The warning is the most dangerous, and you need to take cover. Here is what they both mean.

The tornado watch is an issued when the conditions are right for a tornado to form. The weather that is in your area or coming in your area can produce a tornado. Usually when they issue a tornado watch there is also risks and chances of thunderstorms, hail, high winds. From these storms tornados can be produced. When tornado watches are issued it usually covers a large portion of areas, such as whole counties and regions. The watch will usually have an end time when issues, meaning the watch will expire at a certain time and the tornado threat will be over. At this point there hasn't been a tornado spotted.

A tornado warning is the most serious of warnings. This means that a funnel cloud or a tornado has been spotted in the area or has been seen on radar. When they give out a tornado warning, it's for a much smaller area, maybe not even a whole county but just a section of it. At this point a tornado may not of hit the ground causing damage but may have a funnel spotted in the sky.

If you have a tornado warning notice, you need to act fast and take cover if it is issued in your area. This is your warning that there is a greater chance that there will be a tornado and action is needed. Unlike the watches that give you ideas that a tornado MAY form, the warning is telling you that one is probably forming or has formed. If you have sirens in your area to alert you to tornados and other bad weather, they will be going off with a tornado warning being issued also alerting you to the dangerous storm conditions.

Watches shouldn't be taken lightly a tornado can form at any time without much notice always stay alert if your area has a tornado watch or warning issued. Watch the weather outside and go over your safety plans with the family. This only takes a few minutes but when and if the tornado strikes it will be a few minutes that you won't have at that time.