Severe Thunderstorm Watches

Severe Thunderstorm Watches

Severe Thunderstorm Watches - what are they? A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is a short-fuse bulletin issued by the National Severe Storms Forecast Center (NSSFC) also referred to as the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) when there is a high probability of severe thunderstorms occuring in or around the watch area. Severe thunderstorm watches take into effect many synoptic and mesoscale features, and should provide a heads up to potentially severe weather. Thunderstorm watches are often followed by thunderstorm warnings.

When severe thunderstorm watches are issued, they are entered in the AFOS system where they are routed to the central AFOS facility in Maryland and then disbursed through various channels. One of the quickest ways to get severe thunderstorm watches is through the StormWarn email delivery service.

Click here for advanced delivery of weather bulletins