Severe Weather Awareness Week is a chance to review weather procedures for the spring storm season. This week, HutchPost.com will review various types of severe weather and how you can be safe if such weather approaches. We’ll cover a different topic each day to keep you informed.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — With severe weather season approaching, it’s important to identify the difference between tornado and severe thunderstorm watches and warnings.
A WATCH means the potential exists for the development of severe thunderstorms or tornadoes, depending upon the specific type of watch issued. In the case of a tornado watch, this does not mean a tornado has been seen or even indicated on radar — simply that conditions are favorable for the formation of tornadoes in thunderstorms. A tornado watch usually covers a large area and is a good opportunity to go over severe weather plans such as securing lawn furniture and other outdoor objects. It’s also a good idea to know where friends or family will be during that period.
Similarly, a severe thunderstorm watch means conditions are conducive for the development of severe weather, and does not indicate severe weather has been reported. While no immediate action on the part of the general public is required after the issuance of a watch, residents should keep up to date on the current weather situation and be prepared to seek shelter if necessary.
A WARNING, on the other hand, requires more immediate action and should be taken seriously. A severe thunderstorm warning indicates that severe weather is imminent in your area or is already occurring. The term severe refers to hail greater than or equal to an inch in diameter or wind gusts that meet or exceed 58 mph. Although these storms can also be associated with dangerous cloud-to-ground lightning or heavy rainfall that is capable of causing flash flooding, neither of these two items serve as criteria for a severe thunderstorm warning being issued.
A tornado warning can be thought of as a very specific severe thunderstorm warning, and means a tornado has been either spotted by a human observer or indicated by radar. Similar to a severe thunderstorm warning, once a tornado warning is issued for your area, take cover immediately as the likelihood being directly impacted by a tornado is at a heightened risk.
The Eagle Media Center is equipped with radar that shows us just where such activity is occurring. It can alert us to hail, high winds and flooding potential. It also gives us more precise types of tornado warnings in that it will indicate three levels of a warning. The standard tornado warning when a storm is indicated by radar, a tornado warning when an actual tornado has been spotted on the ground and an tornado emergency, which is an indication the storm may be causing damage. It helps us track the weather faster so we can give you immediate updates through all of our media sources.
With this knowledge of watches and warnings, you will be better prepared the next time severe weather threatens your area.