Tornado watch vs. Tornado warning

New Orleans tornado threat: Knowing the difference between a Tornado Watch and Tornado Warning

Updated: 7:17 AM CST Dec 28, 2024

AND NOW IT’S TIME FOR ANOTHER CHECK ON OUR FIRST WARNING WEATHER. THIS IS A WEATHER ALERT DAY. DUE TO THE SEVERE STORMS WE ARE TRACKING FOR LATER TODAY. YEAH, LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND ESPECIALLY THIS EVENING, I THINK THAT’S WHEN THE WEATHER IS GOING TO BE THE WORST. AND IT LOOKS LIKE THESE STORMS COULD CONTAIN HEAVY RAIN. IT COULD RUN THE GAMUT, REALLY. TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE. HAIL IN EXCESS OF AN INCH. WE’LL SHOW IT ALL TO YOU COMING UP IN JUST A MINUTE. BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS WE HAD A DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT. NOT ANYMORE. IT’S BEEN CANCELED. WE’RE TRACKING A LITTLE BIT OF RAIN RIGHT NOW. AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ON WDSU. FIRST WARNING RADAR. RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT ARE MOVING TO THE NORTH NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 25MPH. BOGALUSA LOOKS LIKE THE RAIN GETTING HEAVIER FOR YOU IN THE NEXT TEN MINUTES. AND YES, THERE’S SOME THUNDER AND LIGHTNING THERE. THE UPPER RIGHT HAND SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN YOU CAN SEE THE LIGHTNING STRIKES IN THE LAST 15 MINUTES. RAIN MOVING RIGHT INTO THE HEART OF THE NEW ORLEANS AREA. NEW ORLEANS METAIRIE KENNER. WELL, LOOKS LIKE YOU MIGHT GET SOME LIGHT RAIN IN KENNER. HEAVIEST RAIN A LITTLE BIT FARTHER TO THE EAST OF YOU. HERE’S THE MOST ACTIVE THUNDERSTORM. PLAQUEMINES PARISH. NOW, THIS ISN’T A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM, BUT THERE IS SOME THUNDER AND LIGHTNING. I WENT TO VELOCITY MODE, AND I CHECKED TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY ROTATION OR ANY STRONG WINDS WITH THIS CELL. NOT SO WITH THAT ONE. GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT STORY LATER ON TODAY. HERE’S YOUR VISIBILITY AS OF RIGHT NOW, ANYWHERE FROM 2 TO 10 MILES. AGAIN, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CANCELED THAT DENSE FOG. ADVISORY. 68 DEGREES. OUR TEMPERATURE WITH DEW POINT AT 68. SO THE HUMIDITY IS UP AT 100%, BUT AN EAST TO SOUTHEASTERLY WIND. I THINK KEEPING IT FROM BEING OVERLY FOGGY, WE’RE SEEING THE SHOWERS POP UP AHEAD OF AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE AND A COLD FRONT. IT’S A COLD FRONT THAT WILL BE HERE PROBABLY LATE THIS EVENING, EARLY IN THE MORNING, AND THE FRONT REALLY ISN’T GOING TO BRING US A HUGE COOLDOWN, BUT IT IS GOING TO BRING US SOME DRIER AIR. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS FRONT STILL IN TEXAS IS GOING TO MAKE STEADY PROGRESS OVER THE NEXT 12 TO 18 HOURS. NOW, THIS I ALWAYS WANT TO SAY SEVERE STORMS FORECAST CENTER, BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT THEY CALLED IT. WHEN I STARTED THIS BUSINESS, THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER ALWAYS ISSUES THIS MAP. THEY GO AHEAD AND LOOK AHEAD TOWARD THE NEXT 24 TO 48 AND 72 HOURS. OKAY. FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTH SHORE, THERE IS AN ENHANCED RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER TODAY. AS YOU GET FURTHER SOUTH, IT’S A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER. DON’T PAY ATTENTION TO THIS MAP TODAY BECAUSE ACROSS THE BOARD, WE HAVE TO BE READY FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS THAT MAY CONTAIN POSSIBLE TORNADOES, HAIL, GUSTY WINDS. THIS IS WHAT WE EXPECT LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 50MPH. TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE AND THEY COULD BE SIGNIFICANT TORNADOES. WE COULD HAVE HAIL OVER AN INCH AND OVER TWO INCHES OF RAIN IS POSSIBLE. WORST WEATHER. PROBABLY GOING TO BE HERE TONIGHT. LET’S GO HOUR BY HOUR AND SHOW YOU HOW TODAY PLAYS OUT. SOME SCATTERED SHOWERS, MOST OF THEM ON THE LIGHTER SIDE THROUGH THE NOON HOUR. HERE WE ARE, PAUSING THINGS AT NOON. LET’S GO TO 3:00. CLOUDS PROBABLY GETTING A LITTLE BIT THICKER. STARTING TO SEE THE SHOWERS INCREASE A BIT, BUT RIGHT HERE. DINNERTIME, 6 P.M. THAT’S WHEN I THINK THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE GOING TO BE GETTING CLOSER TO US BY THE MID EVENING. 9:00 THERE YOU GO. THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE FUN. A GOOD EVENING TO STAY IN WATCH WDSU. WE HAVE METEOROLOGISTS ALREADY ON SCHEDULE. WE’RE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE SOMEBODY IN THE BUILDING TRACKING THESE STORMS FOR YOU. MIDNIGHT. STILL SOME THUNDERSTORMS, POSSIBLY FOR THE SOUTH SHORE, BUT BY 3:00 IN THE MORNING WE START TO SEE THE SKIES CLEAR OUT JUST A LITTLE BIT. I THINK WE’RE GOING TO BE A TOUCH FOGGY IN A FEW LOCATIONS TOMORROW MORNING, BUT THE RAIN SHOULD BE DONE BY 6 A.M. AND BY THE LATER AFTERNOON, SKIES BEGINNING TO CLEAR. ACTUALLY, SUNDAY AFTERNOON SHOULD BE PRETTY PLEASANT, AND YOUR NEW YEAR’S EVE SHOULD BE PRETTY PLEASANT TOO. EVEN THOUGH I THINK WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH EARLY IN THE EVENING, NEW YEAR’S EVE TEMPERATURE, THOUGH, SHOULD BE IN THE 50S. DRY AND COOL BECAUSE IT’S GOING TO BE A DRY FRONT. SO HERE’S YOUR FORECAST FOR TODAY. INCREASING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THEY MAY BE STRONG, ESPECIALLY BY THE LATE AFTERNOON AND THE EVENING. THAT’S WHAT I’M CIRCLING 6 P.M. TO ABOUT MIDNIGHT. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORECAST TONIGHT. SOME OF THEM, UNFORTUNATELY, MAY BE SEVERE, BUT THEN DECREASING CLOUDS BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. AND WE SEE THAT COLD FRONT COMING THROUGH NEW YEAR’S EVE. SO HIGH TEMPERATURES ONLY IN THE 60S ON WEDNESDAY AND IN THE 50S FOR US THURSD

New Orleans tornado threat: Knowing the difference between a Tornado Watch and Tornado Warning

Updated: 7:17 AM CST Dec 28, 2024

Parts of Southeast Louisiana are under an enhanced risk for severe weather Saturday. The Northshore will see a potential threat of tornadoes. It is important to know the difference between a Tornado Watch and a Tornado Warning. The National Weather Service explains the difference between the two below: What is a Tornado Watch? Tornadoes are possible in and near the watch area. Review and discuss your emergency plans and check supplies and your safe room. Be ready to act quickly if a warning is issued or you suspect a tornado is approaching. Acting early helps to save lives! Watches are issued by the Storm Prediction Center for counties where tornadoes may occur. The watch area is typically large, covering numerous counties or even states.What is a Tornado Warning? A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. There is imminent danger to life and property. Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If in a mobile home, a vehicle, or outdoors, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris. Warnings are issued by your local forecast office. Warnings typically encompass a much smaller area (around the size of a city or small county) that may be impacted by a tornado identified by a forecaster on radar or by a trained spotter/law enforcement officer who is watching the storm.

Parts of Southeast Louisiana are under an enhanced risk for severe weather Saturday.

The Northshore will see a potential threat of tornadoes.

It is important to know the difference between a Tornado Watch and a Tornado Warning.

The National Weather Service explains the difference between the two below:

What is a Tornado Watch?

Tornadoes are possible in and near the watch area. Review and discuss your emergency plans and check supplies and your safe room.

Be ready to act quickly if a warning is issued or you suspect a tornado is approaching.

Acting early helps to save lives! Watches are issued by the Storm Prediction Center for counties where tornadoes may occur.

The watch area is typically large, covering numerous counties or even states.

What is a Tornado Warning?

A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. There is imminent danger to life and property. Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.

Avoid windows. If in a mobile home, a vehicle, or outdoors, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.

Warnings are issued by your local forecast office. Warnings typically encompass a much smaller area (around the size of a city or small county) that may be impacted by a tornado identified by a forecaster on radar or by a trained spotter/law enforcement officer who is watching the storm.