Severe Weather Watches & Warnings

Weather Threats	Tornado Safety	Lightning Safety
Watches & Warnings	Flash Flood Safety	Weather Shelters
Things NOT to Do	Highway Bridges	Other Severe Weather Information

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Weather WATCH
A WATCH is issued when expert convective storm meteorologists at the Storms Prediction Center in Norman determine that severe thunderstorms or tornadoes are possible. These watches are generally issued for large areas, such as all of western Oklahoma. A WATCH means to continue normal activities, but to keep an eye to the sky. As with the warnings as listed below, severe weather watches are issued for potential tornado, severe thunderstorm, and flash flood events.

Weather WARNING
A WARNING is issued by meteorologists at local weather service offices when severe weather or tornadoes are actually occurring. Warnings are generally issued for very small areas, such as a single county or groups of 2-3 counties. When a WARNING is issued, you should TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY if you are in the path of the storm!

Three types of WARNINGS are issued for severe storms:

TORNADO WARNINGS, when tornado conditions have actually been observed or are imminent based upon radar information;
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS, where storms are producing straight line winds of 57 mph or greater, hail 1" diameter or greater, and/or are capable of producing a tornado;
FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS, where streams, creeks, or urban waterways are flooding or will be very soon.

In Moore, our Emergency Management staff works closely with the meteorologists at the National Weather Service Forecast Office located in Norman. NWS personnel will generate warnings based upon not only radar information, but also information from our Moore severe weather spotters that are in the field. Therefore, when a warning is issued for Cleveland County, our EOC staff normally have played a part in the decision process. If our EOC staff determine that tornadic conditions will directly affect Moore, we will activate our local warning system, consisting of an outdoor warning siren system and a cable television interrupt. The NWS office will be triggering the alarm on NOAA Weather Radio, and local media will be broadcasting the warning as well.