Tornado Warning
A tornado has been detected on radar or spotted by a trained spotter. Take shelter immediately. StormCast checks for this every 30 seconds and delivers it within moments.
WHAT YOU'LL RECEIVE
Every tornado alert, the moment it's issued.
StormCast checks the NWS alert feed every 30 seconds, 24/7, and pushes anything new straight to your phone.
Tornado Watch
Conditions are favorable for tornado development. Be ready to act. StormCast notifies you so you can prepare before a warning is issued.
Tornado Emergency
The highest-level NWS tornado alert, reserved for confirmed violent tornadoes with a serious threat to human life. Delivered immediately.
Severe Thunderstorm
Often a precursor to tornado conditions. StormCast also alerts you to severe thunderstorm warnings so you have early warning of dangerous storms.
How It Works
1
NWS Issues the Warning
The National Weather Service detects a tornado on radar or receives a spotter report and issues an official warning for your county.
2
StormCast Detects It
Our server polls the NWS alert API every 30 seconds, 24/7. New warnings are matched to your GPS coordinates within seconds.
3
Push to Your Phone
A high-priority push notification is sent directly to your device via Firebase Cloud Messaging. It can bypass silent mode so you never sleep through a warning.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast does StormCast send tornado warnings?
StormCast checks the NWS alert feed every 30 seconds. Most tornado warnings reach your phone within a minute of being issued by the National Weather Service.
Does it cover my county?
StormCast uses your GPS coordinates to query the NWS API for your exact county and alert zone. It covers all US counties served by the National Weather Service — which is the entire continental US plus Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and US territories.
Will it wake up my phone?
Yes. Tornado warnings are delivered on the high-priority warning notification channel. You can also enable the option in StormCast settings to bypass silent/vibrate mode entirely so the alert sound plays even when your phone is silenced.
Does it work when I'm traveling?
Yes. StormCast has a Travel Alerts feature that lets you track your current GPS location automatically, so warnings follow you wherever you go.
Is this different from Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)?
Yes. WEA alerts from your carrier can have a delay of several minutes and may not cover all warning types. StormCast supplements WEA with direct NWS data and gives you more control over which alerts you receive.