Tornado warning
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A tornado warning is issued when:
- a tornado is reported on the ground,
- a funnel cloud is reported in the sky,
- a waterspout is headed toward landfall, or
- a thunderstorm with strong rotation is indicated by doppler radar.
A tornado warning means there is immediate danger for the warned area -- if not from the relatively narrow tornado itself, from the severe thunderstorm producing (or likely to produce) it. Everyone in the path of such a storm is advised to take cover immediately, as it is likely a life-threatening situation.
In the United States, the National Weather Service issues warnings for tornados and severe thunderstorms on a per-county basis, although warnings may only be issued for portions of counties depending on the size and track of the cells.
A warning must not be confused with a tornado watch.
External links
- NWS - Tornado Warning Guideance: Spring 2002 (http://www.wdtb.noaa.gov/resources/PAPERS/twg02/TWG2002.pdf) (72kb PDF)