Weather Tidbits: Tornado Alert Terminology

This edition of Weather Tidbits will be discussing tornado alert terminology. Knowing the context behind the tornado alerts is very important so you can act accordingly in case a tornado threatens your area. The three types of tornado alerts are a tornado watch, a tornado warning, and a tornado emergency. A tornado watch is issued when atmospheric conditions are favorable for tornadoes to form, but does not mean a tornado is not on the ground or is an immediate threat. However, you need to be prepared and on guard! A tornado warning means that a tornado has been spotted or is indicated on radar. When a tornado warning is issued, you need to take action right away! Head to shelter and go through your tornado safety plan. A tornado emergency means there will be a severe threat to human life with catastrophic damage.