Understanding Tornado Warnings and Watches For Tampa Bay Residents and Visitors
A tornado moves through Pinellas County and Clearwater Beach in October 2023. Photos credits: Susan Olds
By Tampa Bay Living Magazine staff
As Tuesday’s severe weather system moves toward the Tampa Bay area, residents and visitors who might not be accustomed to Florida’s storms should prepare by understanding the difference between a tornado warning and a tornado watch to ensure their safety. Here are the different types of alerts and what they mean:
The National Weather Service (NWS) issues these alerts to inform the public about potential tornado activity, but each signifies a different level of threat.
A tornado warning is the more severe of the two alerts. It indicates that a tornado has been sighted or identified by radar, and there is imminent danger to life and property. When a warning is issued, it's crucial for people in the affected area to seek shelter immediately, as the warning typically lasts for about 30 minutes and can be issued without a prior watch.
The NWS also issues high-level alerts known as "particularly dangerous situations" (PDS) tornado warnings and tornado emergencies to indicate severe tornado threats, but they denote different levels of urgency and potential impact.
A PDS tornado warning is issued when there is strong evidence of a powerful tornado or multiple tornadoes that are expected to be long-lived and capable of causing significant damage. This type of warning is often associated with major tornado outbreaks and is intended to convey the seriousness of the threat to the public. It emphasizes that the tornado is not only confirmed but also particularly intense and hazardous.
A tornado emergency, on the other hand, is an even higher level of alert and is issued when a confirmed large, destructive tornado is moving into a densely populated area, posing a severe threat to human life and catastrophic damage to property. A tornado emergency is an explicit call to action, signaling that those in the path of the tornado need to seek immediate shelter to protect their lives.
Both warnings are meant to communicate extreme situations where immediate action is necessary to protect life and property. However, a tornado emergency is used sparingly and only in situations where a tornado is causing direct impacts on people and communities.
If you are in an area under either a PDS tornado warning or a tornado emergency, it is crucial to take immediate shelter in a safe location, such as a storm cellar, basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows. Mobile homes and vehicles are not safe during tornadoes, and if you are in either, you should move to the nearest sturdy shelter immediately.
Video credits: NWS
On the other hand, a tornado watch means that conditions are favorable for tornadoes to develop. It does not guarantee that one will occur, but it signals that tornadoes are possible within the watch area. Watches are usually issued well in advance, giving individuals time to review emergency plans and prepare to act if a warning follows.
For Tampa Bay residents, knowing what to do when either alert is issued can be life-saving. During a tornado warning, it's advised to move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, avoiding windows. If in a mobile home, vehicle or outdoors, finding the closest substantial shelter is critical. For those in open country, lying flat in a depression, ditch or culvert and covering the head with arms is recommended if no shelter is available.
In the event a tornado watch is issued, staying alert and inside is key. Residents and visitors should closely follow updates from officials and have a plan for where to go during a tornado emergency. This includes identifying a safe structure within walking distance if living in a mobile or manufactured home park.
Staying Informed During Severe Weather: A Guide to Alert Systems
When severe weather strikes, public safety officials use timely and reliable systems to alert the public.
Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs)
Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) are short emergency alerts authorities can send to any WEA-enabled mobile device in a locally targeted area.
WEAs look like text messages but are designed to get your attention with a unique sound and vibration repeated twice.
WEAs are not affected by network congestion and will not disrupt texts, calls or in-progress data sessions.
You are not charged for receiving WEAs, and there is no need to subscribe.
WEAs are sent through FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System.
Children will also receive alerts on their WEA-enabled mobile devices. Parents and guardians, talk to your children about WEA alerts and staying safe in an emergency. A fact sheet about WEAs for kids can be found here.
If you are not receiving WEAs, here are some tips to troubleshoot your mobile device:
Check the settings on your mobile device and review your user manual (you may be able to find this online, too.).
Older phones may not be WEA-capable, and some cell phone models require you to enable WEAs.
Some mobile service providers call these messages “Government Alerts,” or “Emergency Alert Messages.”
Check with your wireless provider to see if they can resolve the issue.
All major phone providers and some smaller providers participate in WEA.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) registry of WEA providers.
To provide comments or concerns about WEAs sent in your area, contact local officials directly.
Emergency Alert System (EAS)
The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is a national public warning system used by emergency management officials to alert the public about life-threatening severe weather, such as tornadoes.
The EAS is sent through broadcast TV and radio, satellite digital audio services, direct broadcast satellite providers, cable television systems and wireless cable systems.
The EAS is also used when all other means of alerting the public are unavailable.
NOAA Weather Radio (NWR)
NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) is a nationwide network of radio stations that broadcast continuous weather information from the nearest National Weather Service office based on your physical location.
NWR broadcasts official warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
NWR also broadcasts alerts for non-weather emergencies such as national security or public safety threats through the Emergency Alert System.
As the NWS issues any severe weather watches or warnings, stay tuned to Tampa Bay Living Magazine.
Photo Credits: National Weather Service - Tampa Bay/Ruskin