A powerful storm system hit the eastern United States on Monday (March 16), posing a tornado threat to communities still recovering from past disasters and forcing residents to differentiate between urgent weather warnings.
Residents are encouraged to stay informed and take precautions if necessary.
What is the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning?
The main difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning is the imminence of the threat versus its potential.
A tornado watch refers to the conditions that cause tornadoes to develop. Simply put, this is a “stay prepared” alert. The surveillance area is usually large and covers different counties or states. Residents are asked to review emergency plans, check supplies and ensure they know where the safe space is when a watch is issued.
A tornado warning, on the other hand, is an “act” alert. This is a warning that a tornado is moving through the area and is indicated by weather radar. This means imminent danger to life and property.
Tornado Watch Warning
As of Monday morning, March 16, a tornado watch has been issued for the following areas:
- Butts County (Central Georgia)
- Jasper County (Central Georgia)
- Putnam County (Central Georgia)
- Hancock County (Central Georgia)
- Lamar County (Central Georgia)
- Monroe County (Central Georgia)
- Jones County (Central Georgia)
- Baldwin County (Central Georgia)
- Bibb County (Central Georgia)
- Upson County (Central Georgia)
- Crawford County (Central Georgia)
- Peach County (Central Georgia)
- Macon County (Central Georgia)
- Taylor County (Central Georgia)
- Sumter County (Central Georgia)
- Loudoun County
Additionally, parts of Florida, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and West Virginia are also under tornado watch.
Tornado Warning
The following areas are for tornado warning:
- Mars Hill (western North Carolina)
- Bald Creek (western North Carolina)
- Burnsville (western North Carolina)
However, according to the National Weather Service (NWS), the warning only lasted 10 minutes.
Specific communities in the Foothills and Piedmont regions are also under a warning that lasted until 9 a.m.
In northern Virginia, warnings were issued between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. local time.
The extreme weather also led to school closures in North Carolina and disruptions across the region. The storms are also expected to bring in their wake a massive cold front and a drop in temperatures.
