New Orleans tornado threat: Knowing the difference between a Tornado Watch and Tornado Warning
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Updated: 2:32 PM CDT Mar 15, 2025
THE FOG AND ALREADY AN ALERT DAY FOR SATURDAY. YEAH, WE ARE LOOKING AT SOME SEVERE WEATHER FOR SATURDAY, AND ACTUALLY WE’VE BEEN SEEING THAT FOR THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS. AND THEN AS WE GET CLOSER, IT’S ONLY CONFIRMING OUR KNOWLEDGE OF YES, THERE WILL BE SEVERE WEATHER INDEED HAPPENING. SO THIS IS WHAT WE KNOW. LEVEL THREE AND LEVEL FOUR RISK FOR SEEING SEVERE WEATHER. TIMING WILL BE LATE IN THE MORNING TO THE EVENING, AND THEN TORNADOES, WIND, HAIL, HEAVY RAIN, ALL ON THE TABLE FOR US, ESPECIALLY TORNADOES. SO LET’S START WITH TOMORROW. TOMORROW WE ARE UNDER A LEVEL RISK. FOR SEVERE WEATHER. I THINK MOST OF THIS IS GOING TO STAY UP TO THE NORTH. WE DO HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE A FEW SHOWERS, MAYBE A COUPLE RUMBLES OF THUNDER, BUT I’M NOT TOO CONCERNED WITH TOMORROW AGAIN, COUPLE SCATTERED SHOWERS SATURDAY. THAT’S THE MAIN DAY THAT WE’RE LOOKING LIKE LOOKING AT A THREE AND A FOUR. YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE BULL’S EYE IS, RIGHT WHERE WE ARE. SO AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, METEOROLOGIST DEREK SIBLEY DID SOME RESEARCH. ACTUALLY HAVEN’T BEEN INTO LEVEL FOUR ON DAY THREE OR THIS EARLY OUT EVER HERE IN NEW ORLEANS. SO DEFINITELY STORM PREDICTION CENTER SEEING SOMETHING THAT’S ON THEIR RADAR SAYING, HEY, THERE COULD BE SOME SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER FOR SATURDAY. SO ALL THIS AREA HIGHLIGHTED IN RED. THE RISK FOR SEEING TORNADOES. SO WE’RE ALL UNDER THAT. SO JUST A HEADS UP. SO LET’S TALK ABOUT IT. LET’S TIME IT OUT. GOT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT MODELS I’LL SHOW YOU HIGH RESOLUTION MODELS BECAUSE WE ARE GETTING CLOSER TO THAT EVENT. SO WE CAN ACTUALLY SHOW YOU SOME BETTER DATA. HERE’S WHAT’S GOING ON 4:00 PM FOR TOMORROW. SEE A COUPLE OF SCATTERED SHOWERS. AGAIN, NOT TOO CONCERNED WITH YOUR FRIDAY, BUT GETTING INTO SATURDAY. HERE’S 11 A.M. NOON. WE START TO SEE SOME SHOWERS, THUNDERSTORMS ROLL IN MOSTLY FOR THE NORTH SHORE AT THIS POINT. THAT CONTINUES ON. NOW THIS IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO CHANGE AND MAY LOOK DIFFERENT AS OF RIGHT NOW. THIS MODEL TRYING TO SHOW A LOT OF THE EVENT GOING TO BE HAPPENING UP TO THE NORTH OF US. NOW, FOR THE REST OF US, SOME OF US MAY NOT BE SEEING RAIN AT THAT TIME, SO IT’S NOT GOING TO BE AN ALL DAY RAIN EVENT MAY END UP JUST BEING VERY SCATTERED. HERE’S 5:00 PM. THAT LINE TRYING TO PULL THROUGH, EVENTUALLY MOVING ON OUT BY ABOUT SIX SEVEN, 8:00 PM FOR YOUR SATURDAY. SO THAT’S ONE MODEL. HERE’S ANOTHER HIGH RESOLUTION MODEL. THIS ONE ONLY GOING TO GO OUT SO FAR. I’LL SHOW YOU WHAT IT CAN SEE AS OF RIGHT NOW. SO HERE’S 5:00 PM. THIS ALSO LINES UP WITH THE LAST ONE I JUST SHOWED YOU. GOING TO SEE SOME SCATTERED SHOWERS. HERE’S 11 A.M. FOR YOUR SATURDAY. ALSO SEEING SOME STORMS POPPING UP FOR THE NORTH SHORE. YOU SEE THERE’S AN ADDITIONAL LINE OFF BEHIND IT, SO LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT AS OF RIGHT NOW. HERE’S NOON THAT’S STILL LINING UP. SO BASICALLY ISOLATED SHOWERS, THUNDERSTORMS STARTING LATE MORNING INTO THE EVENING. AND THEN THINGS WILL START TO CLEAR OUT FOR US. SO EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, THAT’S WHEN THINGS COULD TURN SEVERE. YOU COULD SEE SOME OF THAT ROTATION HAPPENING AS WELL. DEW POINTS STARTING TO CREEP UP AS WELL. SO HUMIDITY GOING UP. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT THOSE INGREDIENTS REALLY LINING UP AS FAR AS THAT GOES. SO DEFINITELY MUGGY METER GOING UP FOR YOUR SATURDAY. AFTER THAT THOUGH, THINGS WILL FEEL A LOT BETTER. VISIBILITY AS OF RIGHT NOW THIS MORNING. NOT TERRIBLE FOR US. SOME OF US SEEING SOME FOG. HOUMA YOU GUYS SEEING FOG AND STARTING TO SEE A DROP A LITTLE BIT OVER IN HAMMOND. YOUR CURRENT TEMPERATURES INTO THE 60S, SO IT IS VERY MILD THIS MORNING AS YOU LOOK AT THE REST OF YOUR FORECAST. 80S FOR TODAY, 80S N
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New Orleans tornado threat: Knowing the difference between a Tornado Watch and Tornado Warning
Southeast Louisiana is under a level 4 risk for severe weather, including a significant tornado threat for Saturday. Watch live storm coverage here | More tornado damage in Kentwood | Radar | Weather AlertsIt 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.
Southeast Louisiana is under a level 4 risk for severe weather, including a significant tornado threat for Saturday.
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.