Know the difference between watches and warnings

With severe weather season quickly approaching, some confusion arises over the difference between a severe watch and a severe warning.

A severe watch is when all the ingredients are present in the atmosphere, but have not been mixed together to create an impactful system.

You can think of it like baking cookies: all the ingredients are on the table, but there are no cookies yet as you still have to make them. These watches are made to make you aware that conditions are favorable for a severe weather event so you can have a plan for when storms occur and warnings are issued.

A warning is when a severe storm has occurred and affects a specific area.

Think back to the cookie example: a warning in this case would be when the cookies finally come out of the oven and you have an edible product. So, if you are in a severe warning, you should go to the safest point in your house as impactful weather is taking place in that area.