The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch at 12:45 a.m. on Sunday in effect until 3 a.m. for DeKalb, Jackson and Marshall counties.

Tornado watches and warnings: What you need to know

When it comes to tornadoes, understanding the difference between a Tornado watch and a Tornado warning can be a matter of life and death. Let’s break it down:

Tornado watch: Be prepared!

• A Tornado watch is your advance warning that conditions are ripe for tornado formation.
• It’s your cue to review and discuss your emergency plans, check your supplies, and locate your safe room.
• While it doesn’t indicate an imminent tornado, it’s a heads-up to be prepared to take swift action if a Tornado warning is issued or if you suspect a tornado is approaching.
• Watches come from the Storm Prediction Center and often cover a large area, potentially spanning multiple counties or even states.

Tornado warning: Take action!

• A Tornado warning means a tornado has been spotted or detected by weather radar.
• This is the real deal – there’s an immediate threat to life and property.
• Your response should be swift: move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows.
• If you’re in a mobile home, a vehicle, or caught outdoors, seek the nearest substantial shelter and shield yourself from flying debris.
• Warnings are issued by your local forecast office and pinpoint a much smaller area, typically the size of a city or a small county, where a tornado has been identified, either by radar or by trained spotters and law enforcement.

Knowing the distinction between these two alerts is paramount for staying safe during tornado season. Stay informed, have a plan, and act promptly when danger looms.

Get ready for tornadoes

Stay weather-ready:

Check the forecast regularly to see if you’re at risk for tornadoes. Listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio to stay informed about tornado watches and warnings.

Sign up for alerts:

Know how your community sends warnings. Some communities have outdoor sirens. Others depend on media and smartphones to alert residents of severe storms capable of producing tornadoes.

Create a communication plan:

Create a family emergency plan that includes a designated meeting place and important contact information. If your home lacks a basement, identify a nearby safe building, like a church or a relative’s house, that you can reach quickly.

Choose a secure shelter:

Pick a safe room within your home, such as a basement, storm cellar, or an interior room on the lowest floor without windows.

Practice your plan:

Conduct regular family drills for severe thunderstorms so everyone knows what to do when a tornado threat arises. Ensure that all family members are aware of the safe location to seek shelter, and don’t forget about your pets if time permits.

Prepare your home:

Consider having your safe room reinforced. You can find plans for reinforcing an interior room to provide better protection on the Federal Emergency Management Agency website.

Extend a helping hand:

Encourage your loved ones to prepare for the possibility of tornadoes. Take CPR training so you can help if someone is hurt.

Staying safe during a tornado: Quick actions to take

When a tornado strikes, taking swift action is crucial to ensuring your safety and minimizing potential harm. Follow these guidelines from the weather service:

Stay informed:

To ensure your safety during a tornado, remember that acting promptly is crucial, according to the weather service. Stay informed about tornado watches and warnings through regular updates on local news or a NOAA Weather Radio.

At home:

If you find yourself under a tornado warning while at home, head to your basement, a designated safe room, or an interior space away from windows. Ensure your pets are safe if time permits.

At work or school:

Follow your tornado drill and proceed to your tornado shelter location quickly and calmly. Stay away from windows and do not go to large open rooms such as cafeterias, gymnasiums, or auditoriums.

Outdoors:

If a tornado is on its way, seek shelter inside a solid building immediately. Sheds, storage facilities, mobile homes, and tents are not safe places to be.

In a vehicle:

Being in a vehicle during a tornado is highly unsafe. Your best option is to drive to the nearest shelter. If reaching shelter is not possible, either stay inside your car, covering your head, or abandon the vehicle and seek refuge in a low-lying area like a ditch or ravine.

Always keep in mind that taking swift action and following established safety procedures are crucial for your well-being when a tornado threat is imminent.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.