Among the different kinds of weather conditions, tornadoes are one that is capable of destroying landscapes and buildings. Some of the most famous tornadoes are those that have also taken hundreds of lives. The tornado that hit St. Louis, Missouri, in May 1896 killed 255 people, while the one that struck Natchez, Mississippi, in May 1840 took 317 lives. However, neither of these hold a candle to the Tri-State tornado of March 1925. It tore through Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana and caused 695 deaths. Fortunately, the National Weather Service has put a tornado forecast program in place since these tragic events, and knowing the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning can save your life.
Essentially, a tornado watch is an advisory that indicates meteorologists have detected weather patterns with the potential to develop a tornado. The difference with a tornado warning is that the weather radar has already detected a tornado in the area, which means that the danger is imminent. Along with this difference in the weather conditions and probability of danger, the action you should take is also different.
What To Do In A Tornado Watch
The National Weather Service usually issues tornado watches well ahead of you noticing the warning signs of a storm. That’s because the agency’s weather tracking systems can detect the type of clouds that make tornadoes before you see them coming. Whether it covers part of a state or several states, the advisory can last four to eight hours, giving you plenty of time to take action to protect yourself in the event that a tornado actually develops and touches down in your area.
As soon as you receive the tornado watch advisory, you might want to rethink any plans that you had for the day. Review or put in place your emergency plans to make sure that you can get to a safe place in the event that the weather makes a turn for the worse. Also, take stock of any supplies you have just in case a tornado warning is issued and you have to take further action to remain safe.
What To Do In A Tornado Warning
Similar to a tornado watch, a tornado warning can be issued for a few counties or even numerous counties across state lines. This advisory means that you need to get to a safe place right away because a tornado has already touched the ground nearby. Since there are six levels of tornadoes (EF0 to EF5), the speeds of tornadoes can vary from 65 mph to more than 200 mph — strong enough to uproot trees, hurl objects, and prevent you from walking outdoors to safety. That’s why it’s so important to have a plan beforehand and to get to safety as soon as you receive the tornado warning…