Two words on a forecast carry very different urgency. Knowing which is which tells you whether to get ready or act now.
Watch = be prepared
A watch means the hazard is possible within the specified area, usually within 48 hours. It is your cue to review your plan, fuel your vehicle, gather supplies, and follow updates closely. Nothing is happening yet, but conditions are favorable for it.
Warning = take action
A warning means the hazard is expected, usually within 36 hours. Finish your preparations and follow the instructions of local officials. If a warning is paired with an evacuation order for your area, leave.
The hazard matters as much as the word
The National Hurricane Center issues separate watches and warnings for different hazards, and they do not always line up:
- Hurricane / Tropical Storm Watch & Warning — based on sustained wind.
- Storm Surge Watch & Warning — issued independently because the deadliest flooding can occur where winds are only marginal.
- Flood & Flash Flood Watches and Warnings — issued by your local National Weather Service office for rainfall, often reaching far inland.
- Tornado Watches and Warnings — issued by the Storm Prediction Center and local offices for the bands of a tropical system.
You can be under a storm-surge warning without a hurricane warning, or a flash flood warning days after landfall. Read which hazard each one names.
What to do
- When a watch is issued, complete preparations you cannot do at the last minute.
- When a warning is issued, act on it the same day.
- Never wait for a warning to look up your evacuation zone — do that before the season starts.