Watch vs warnings....
By stacyv81
@stacyv81 (5903)
United States
July 29, 2010 4:48pm CST
Tornado's...they have a tornado watch and a tornado warning.... A warning is more extreme than a watch....right?....why? It doesnt make sense to me and I am hoping someone can rationalize this and explain it to make sense to me.... I know it is trivial but something that bothers me lol..
Ok, so a watch means, beware there is weather going on that could create a tornado..
A warning means, one has been spotted in your area or around your area watch out for it.
So to me these should be switched...as beware is a warning...does anyone else see my point or am I crazy lol?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@cream97 (29086)
• United States
29 Jul 10
Hi, stacyv81. I have always wondered what the differences of these two words meant too. I think that a watch means that, we should keep a watch out for a possible tornado. The way that the weather looks, means that a tornado may can appear. And a warning is that, a tornado has been spotted somewhere and it will be appearing around certain areas. It is confusing..
If you ask me, both of them makes me scared. We should prepare for both of them.
If you ask me, both of them makes me scared. We should prepare for both of them.
@joey_matthews (8354)
•
24 Oct 10
You have a point.
This isn't something we have much of an issue in the United Kingdom, we just have heavy rain and very bad wind. Not much chance of being hurt during those and I wouldn't really like to witness a tornado as I am aware they cause nothing be trouble and destruction.
Flood warnings are as far as they do come and if they said "watch out" I would probably feel that it might not happen.
@dogsnme (1264)
• United States
29 Jul 10
I see your point but I think the idea behind watches and warnings is a little bit different than what you are suggesting. A couple of mylotters pretty much already made the point but I'll take a stab at it anyway. I think the reason they made the "watches" and "warnings" mean what they do is this: a tornado "watch" like other mylotters have stated means that the weather conditions in the "watch" area are very favorable for the formation of a tornado like you have stated that you understand as well. In this case you need to be alert and watch for any sign of a tornado forming. You don't necessarily need to stop what you are doing and seek shelter yet but just stay alert. On the other hand a tornado "warning" means, like you said, that a tornado has been spotted and that means it has been spotted either visually(usually the case) or on radar. However, a warning doesn't mean, as you stated, to watch out for it. If one has already been spotted in your area then they are "warning" you so you can drop everything and seek shelter. In other words, you don't need to "watch" out for one that someone has already spotted; you just need to stop what you're doing, grab the family or the pets or whatever and get your butts underground or into some other appropriate shelter. Does that make more sense?
