You hear us talk about watches and warnings when the weather turns active, but do you know the difference between the two?
The Storm Prediction Center issues a tornado watch or severe thunderstorm watch when conditions are favorable for severe weather to develop over the course of several hours. Watches cover large areas (like all of Middle Tennessee) but are not a guarantee that severe storms will roll through your backyard.
When a tornado or severe thunderstorm is spotted on Doppler radar, the local National Weather Service office will issue a tornado warning or severe thunderstorm warning for a specific county. A warning means that severe weather is expected to occur shortly in the warned area.
To sum it up, a watch means you should be on guard for the possibility of severe weather. A warning is more important and indicates that severe weather is happening in your county. Warnings mean that you should take action to protect your family and your property now!
