Tornado Watch vs. Warning: What's the Difference?
One means conditions are right. The other means take shelter now. Here's how to tell them apart and what to do for each.
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ALL GUIDES
Everything you need to stay ahead of the storm.
Plain-English explainers, no jargon — written to actually help you make a decision when it matters.
River Flood Levels Explained
Action stage, minor flood, moderate flood, major flood — what each level means and when to start paying attention.
Read guide →What Kp Index Do You Need to See the Northern Lights?
A plain-English guide to the Kp index, geomagnetic storms, and how far south the aurora can actually reach.
Read guide →What to Do During a Flash Flood Warning
Flash flooding is the #1 weather killer in the US. Here's what to do immediately, where to go, and what to avoid.
Read guide →AQI Levels Explained — What the Numbers Mean
The Air Quality Index runs from 0 to 500. Here's what each level means, when to stay inside, and who's most at risk.
Read guide →Hurricane Categories Explained — Cat 1 Through Cat 5
The Saffir-Simpson scale, what each category means on the ground, and why wind speed isn't the whole story.
Read guide →Severe Thunderstorm Watch vs. Warning
What makes a thunderstorm "severe," the difference between a watch and warning, and the new damage tags you need to know.
Read guide →Winter Storm Warnings Explained
Winter storm warning, ice storm warning, blizzard warning, wind chill advisory — what each one means and how to prepare.
Read guide →EF Scale Tornado Ratings Explained
The Enhanced Fujita Scale rates tornadoes EF0 through EF5 based on damage. Here's what each rating means and the wind speeds involved.
Read guide →How to Read Weather Radar
What the radar colors mean, how to spot rotation and hook echoes, and how to track storms heading your way.
Read guide →What Does Flood Stage Mean?
Action stage, minor flood, moderate flood, major flood — how the NWS defines each level and what they mean for your river.
Read guide →Derecho vs. Tornado
Both produce 100+ mph winds, but a derecho's damage path can be hundreds of miles wide. Here's how they differ.
Read guide →Best Weather Alert App for Android
What to look for in a severe weather app — speed, NWS data, river monitoring, and features most people don't think about.
Read guide →Heat Index Explained
When the thermometer says 95°F but it feels like 112°F — how the heat index works and when heat becomes deadly.
Read guide →Tornado Preparedness Checklist
What to have ready before tornado season, what to do during a warning, and what to do after a tornado passes.
Read guide →Hurricane Preparedness Guide
Essential supplies, evacuation planning, protecting your home, and what to do when a hurricane watch or warning is issued.
Read guide →Weather Radio vs. Phone Alerts
NOAA Weather Radio and phone apps both deliver warnings, but they work differently. Here's why you should have both.
Read guide →Earthquake Magnitude Scale Explained
Richter vs. moment magnitude, and why a magnitude 6 quake is about 1,000 times stronger than a magnitude 3, not twice as strong.
Read guide →Earthquake Early Warning Explained
Earthquakes can't be predicted, but seconds of warning before shaking arrives is possible. Here's how ShakeAlert and early warning actually work.
Read guide →Geomagnetic Storm Scale Explained (G1–G5)
What causes a geomagnetic storm, what each NOAA G-scale level actually does to power grids and GPS, and how far south the aurora reaches.
Read guide →Solar Flare Classes Explained (A, B, C, M, X)
What each solar flare letter class means, why X-class flares make headlines, and how flares differ from the CMEs that actually drive the aurora.
Read guide →Red Flag Warning Explained (Fire Weather)
Low humidity, strong wind, and dry fuels combine to make any spark dangerous. Here's what triggers the warning and what to actually do.
Read guide →Excessive Heat Warning vs. Heat Advisory
Both mean dangerous heat is coming — here's what separates them, and the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Read guide →High Wind Warning vs. Wind Advisory
Specific wind speed thresholds separate these two — here's what triggers each and how they differ from a severe thunderstorm.
Read guide →What Is a Supercell?
The rotating updraft behind the strongest tornadoes, and how to spot the hook echo and mesocyclone on radar.
Read guide →Microburst Explained
A sudden, localized downdraft that can hit 100+ mph — and can develop faster than radar can catch it.
Read guide →Cold Front vs. Warm Front
Two air masses colliding, two very different weather outcomes. Here's what actually changes when each one passes.
Read guide →The 30-30 Rule for Lightning Safety
Count the seconds between flash and thunder, divide by five — here's how to use that number to actually stay safe.
Read guide →Watch vs. Warning: What NWS Alerts Mean
The same three-tier structure applies across every hazard type — tornadoes, floods, winter storms, fire weather, and more.
Read guide →How to Build a Severe Weather Emergency Kit
What actually belongs in a 72-hour kit — water, food, power, documents, and the items people forget until they need them.
Read guide →NOAA Weather Radio: Do You Still Need One?
Phones do most of what weather radio does now — except in the specific situations where phones fail entirely.
Read guide →What to Do During a Power Outage in a Storm
Generator carbon monoxide safety, how long food actually stays safe, and how to conserve your phone battery.
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