Tornado Watch vs. Warning: What You Need to Know

As Escambia County prepares for severe weather Saturday, March 15, residents are urged to stay prepared in the event of a potential tornado. One of the easiest things someone can do to be tornado-ready is know the difference between a tornado watch and tornado warning.

Watch vs. Warning

Tornado Watch

• A Tornado Watch is issued when conditions are favorable that a tornado will develop. Residents are encouraged to stay alert when a Tornado Watch is issued.

Tornado Warning

• A Tornado Warning is issued when a tornado is happening or is about to happen. Residents must take action to protect themselves and their families when a Tornado Warning has been issued.

Tornado Emergency

• A Tornado Emergency is an exceedingly rare situation with a severe threat to human life and catastrophic damage due to a confirmed violent tornado. There is imminent danger to life and property. Residents must seek refuge in the safest location possible.

Particularly Dangerous Situation Tornado Watch

• A Particularly Dangerous Situation tornado watch, known as a PDS, is when a forecaster has high confidence that multiple strong or violent tornadoes will occur in the watch area.

Know Where to Go

When sheltering from a tornado at home, Emergency Management recommends the following actions:

• Quickly move to an interior room with no windows.
• Move to your basement (if applicable) and bring your emergency kit.
• Do NOT move to the top floor of your home.
• Do NOT move to exterior rooms or rooms with windows.
• Do NOT go outside when a watch or warning is issued.

Enable Critical Alerts on Your Cell Phone

Enabling emergency alerts on your phone is another way to stay informed and prepared during times of disaster. Is your phone set up to receive emergency notifications? Watch this short tutorial on how to enable emergency alerts on your iPhone or Android phones.

Residents are encouraged to remain weather aware and continue monitoring the forecast for updates. Ensure you have multiple ways to receive warnings and know your safe place ahead of time. 

For more information, monitor the local media and legitimate online and social media sources like Escambia County Emergency Management, US National Weather Service Mobile and Florida SERT. 

More information on what to do before, during and after a storm is available online at MyEscambia.com/BeReady. You can also like Escambia County Emergency Management on Facebook and follow @EscambiaBeReady on Instagram for the latest news and updates on emergencies impacting our community.