(KNSI)—Severe Weather Awareness Week kicks off with a focus on the different types of communication sent out regarding storms or dangerous weather in the area.
Meteorologist Melissa Dye breaks down what a watch means. “Watches, that’s something that we issue when conditions are favorable for something like tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, maybe even some flash flooding. So, that’s just when you want to start getting your preparedness plan put into place.”
Next up in terms of urgency are warnings. Dye says to immediately take action if a warning is sent out. “Warnings are when we’ve either got that weather ongoing, it’s imminent, so that’s when you seek shelter if you’ve got a tornado warning. Flash flooding, you want to make sure if you’re driving, you’re turning around, not trying to drive through any flooded roadways.”
Warnings will be posted online, texted to cell phones, and broadcast on various media, including here at KNSI. Stearns County Emergency Manager Erin Hughes says the most imminent warnings go out to everyone. “So, there are some wireless emergency alerts that are related to flooding and tornadoes that automatically happen, and those are issued by the National Weather Service. Regardless of the time of day, you get that message. It would be similar on your phone to like an Amber Alert.”
Stearns County Emergency Management handles communications for the City of St. Cloud, which stretches into extreme western Benton and Sherburne Counties.
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