The Difference Between a Tornado ‘Watch’ & ‘Warning’ in Texas

It's one of those things we hear all the time on weather reports, but we're still unsure what the difference is here. Here in the Lone Star State and across the U.S., a weather-related "watch" and a "warning" remain constant.

Let's see if we can commit the difference between them to core memory. According to the NOAA, from 1989 - 2013, May saw the most tornadoes here in Texas, followed by April, then June.

The Difference Between a Tornado 'Watch' & 'Warning'

On the other side, February, July, August, and December saw the least amount of tornadoes.

You'd think that the folks at the National Weather Service could have come up with terminology a little clearer than "Watch" and "Warning," right? Well, they didn't, so let's see if we can finally get the meaning of each down for good.

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Severe Thunderstorm Watch: Be Prepared! 

Severe thunderstorms are possible in and near the watch area. Stay informed and be ready to act if a severe thunderstorm warning is issued. The watch area is typically large, covering numerous counties or even states.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Take Action! 

Severe weather has been reported by spotters or indicated by radar. Warnings indicate imminent danger to life and property. Take shelter in a substantial building. Get out of mobile homes that can blow over in high winds. Warnings typically encompass a much smaller area (around the size of a city or small county) that may be impacted by a large hail or damaging wind identified by an NWS forecaster on radar or by a trained spotter/law enforcement who is watching the storm.

TL;DR: "Watch" means be prepared, it could happen. "Warning" means it's time to take action; it's happening right now.