STORM2K

This may sound silly.. But what is the difference between a tornado warning and a tornado emergency..

I remember back during the 1998 outbreak.. we only received tornado warnings.. and I have heard the term tornado emergency before.. but not enough to know what it means

Josephine96 wrote:This may sound silly.. But what is the difference between a tornado warning and a tornado emergency..

I remember back during the 1998 outbreak.. we only received tornado warnings.. and I have heard the term tornado emergency before.. but not enough to know what it means

A Tornado Emergency is a Special Weather Statement (SPS) often issues when NWS confirms tornadic damage or a tornado on the ground producing/produced injuries. A TOR (tornado warning) will concurrently be issued.

Scott

Hmm.. they maybe we here in Central Florida did get 1 or 2 of those that night who knows..

But thank you for the explanation

They are a relatively new product I think. First time I saw them here was during a November 2002 outbreak.

OK lol so maybe we didn't get them lol

NWSFO's issue their own SPS and as I understand it a tornado emergency is short-fuse information not contained in an actual TOR. Tornado Warnings (like all WWAs) follow a specific format; individual offices can issue their own SPS for additional content.

Scott

TYVM Scott

Brent wrote:They are a relatively new product I think. First time I saw them here was during a November 2002 outbreak.

They used it in the May 3, 1999 outbreak in Oklahoma.

That radar image you have Brian is scary..

Josephine96 wrote:That radar image you have Brian is scary..

Yes, but for my area things have settled down a ton. It looks serious, though, not too far down I-29.

NEWeatherguy wrote:

Brent wrote:They are a relatively new product I think. First time I saw them here was during a November 2002 outbreak.

They used it in the May 3, 1999 outbreak in Oklahoma.

I forgot about that, here ya' go:

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
657 PM CDT MON MAY 3 1999

...TORNADO EMERGENCY IN SOUTH OKLAHOMA CITY METRO AREA...

AT 657 PM CDT...A LARGE TORNADO WAS MOVING ALONG INTERSTATE 44 WEST OF NEWCASTLE. ON ITS PRESENT PATH...THIS LARGE DAMAGING TORNADO WILL ENTER SOUTHWEST SECTIONS OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY METRO AREA BETWEEN 715 PM AND 730 PM. PERSONS IN MOORE AND SOUTH OKLAHOMA CITY SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE TORNADO PRECAUTIONS!

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS LARGE AND DESTRUCTIVE TORNADO...TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.

DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THIS STORM MAY CONTAIN DESTRUCTIVE HAIL TO THE SIZE OF BASEBALLS...OR LARGER.

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
7:31 PM CDT MON MAY 3 1999

LARGE DAMAGING TORNADO MOVING THROUGH OKLAHOMA CITY METRO. A LARGE TORNADO HAS CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE IN SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY METRO AREA. AT 7:31 PM THE TORNADO WAS ENTERING SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA COUNTY JUST EAST OF INTERSTATE 35 AND SOUTH OF CROSS ROADS MALL. PERSONS IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA CITY AND MIDWEST CITY ARE IN DANGER! IF YOU LIVE NEAR THESE AREAS TAKE IMMEDIATE TORNADO PRECAUTIONS! THE TORNADO WAS MOVING NORTHEAST. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS LARGE AND DESTRUCTIVE TORNADO . . . TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.

Scary thought.. These things are pretty serious huh

Josephine96 wrote:Scary thought.. These things are pretty serious huh

In three letters, Yep!

Josephine96 wrote:Scary thought.. These things are pretty serious huh

I've only seen them go out if a tornado was reported on the ground, so yes it's serious.

Very true...what everyone has said. I don't know if all NWS offices use them, however. Does anyone know if the NWS SGF used them for the May 4th, 2003 outbreak. I know that EAX did.

And John, it wasn't a stupid question.

Thank you Garrett.. I just have a habit of calling questions stupid.. But especially if they are things I should know lol