STORMKEEPERSafety guides › Watch vs. warning
What is the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning?
A watch means be ready. A warning means act now.
A watch covers a large area for several hours. Conditions are right for dangerous weather to form, but it has not happened yet. Review your plan, charge your phone, and keep alerts on.
A warning means the danger is happening or about to happen in a specific area, usually for less than an hour. When a tornado warning covers you, take shelter immediately. Do not wait to see or hear the tornado.
An advisory is for weather that is a nuisance but can still be risky, like dense fog or a little freezing rain.
Source: National Weather Service. Reviewed 2026-10-07.
This guide is general safety information. When a warning is issued for your area, follow the instructions from the National Weather Service and local officials.
Get the warning on your phone
Stormkeeper is a free tornado tracker and weather radar for the United States. It reads official National Weather Service alerts and tells you plainly whether you are safe. See what it does.