Weather Watch vs Weather Warning
Since most people have encountered weather watches and weather warnings that are broadcasted interrupting regular programs on TV, it is crucial to know the difference between weather watch and weather warning. These are broadcasted by National Weather Service (NWS) in the interest of those who live in the affected places or places where bad weather is imminent. We pay attention to the message if it pertains to an area where someone near or dear lives but do not care about the message if it is about an area where no one of our acquaintances lives. It is clear then that most of us know that both weather watch and weather warning contain worrisome news, but many of us cannot differentiate between the two. This article will make clear these differences so as to enable people to take appropriate action.
What is Weather Watch?
Weather watch is issued when NWS feels that there is more than a fair chance of a weather phenomenon taking place in an area in a particular time frame. Though, there is no certainty that a tornado or a typhoon may strike a particular area, NWS decides that it is better to issue a watch notice than repent later if bad weather really strikes the area and causes devastation. There are indications in the atmosphere for an impending disturbance over an area such as changes in barometric pressure, velocity of winds or any other such indication.
What is Weather Warning?
A weather warning is more serious in nature and is actually issued when the event has started occurring. So, if a tornado has been spotted and is believed to move to another, adjacent area, a weather warning is issued to alert the residents of the area so they can take appropriate safety measures or evacuate the area if the authorities so warn. Thus, a weather warning is a more serious matter than a weather watch, though it does not mean that one should ignore or take weather watch lightly. It has been observed in the past that more often than not, weather watches become weather warnings.
What is the difference between Weather Watch and Weather Warning?
• So the next time your are driving a car and there is a weather watch broadcast on radio about a possible tornado in a nearby area, there is no need to panic though you must gear up for all possible scenarios. It simply means that though weather conditions have become favorable for a tornado, it has yet not begun and the chances are low that it will occur in a given region in a given timeframe.
• On the other hand, if it is a weather warning and not a weather watch, you must take all possible steps that you can to safeguard your safety. Weather warning is generally issued for a county or a part of the county that is in the path of the tornado.
Either way what should be remembered is that by paying attention to both weather watches and weather warnings we can save our lives, as well as others.