You probably need to use better words to explain it for dangerous hazards.
We're currently under a Tornado Watch - or is it a Tornado Warning?
People are regularly confused by this.
What is the difference and can you explain it without looking it up?
Pictures of Tacos are cute, but if you have to refer to Tacos to explain
the difference, then perhaps the terms Watch and Warning are too confusing. We need to probably choose better and more meaningful
words that are not so similar as to be confused, especially for something more important than that.
I still think intuitively a watch is worse than a warning as a watch implies you can see it. After all, watch means: "To look or observe attentively or carefully; be closely observant." That implies there's something to observe, like a tornado.
While a warning by contrast, is a "A statement telling of or an indication providing evidence of impending danger, difficulty, or misfortune.'
That seems rather backwards from how the words are being used in regards to tornadoes?
5 comments:
Watch: Conditions are good for the formation of a tornado producing storm. Does not mean that the tornado has actually formed yet, just that conditions may allow one to form. You should pay more attention (Be on the WATCH for) a tornado.
Warning: A tornado HAS formed. run hide run. Duck dodge hide. Stay away from trailers.
That actually makes sense... And yes, 'watching' one develop is rather scary!
B: Watch Out! Implies imminent danger right? Or Watch the tornado go by implies its here already =- versus Warning, Danger Area, which implies possible danger. In short the terms are insufficiently distinct and people get confused. For something this important it shopuld be readily understandable.
Old NFO: Yep, watching one develop would be bad.
Aarpm
How about "Watch For possible Tornadoes" and "Warning, Tornado in vicinity of XXX"?
juvat: That would certainly be more clear than the current Tornado Watch and Tornado Warning, which are too similar and insufficiently differentiated.
The hilarious thing is the meteorological short form for a tornado watch is TOA not TW as that would make the abbreviation TW for tornado warning as well.
Instead, Tornado Watch gets abbreviated into TOA for Tornado Advisory,and Tornado Warning gets TOR for Tornado Rotation.
If you have to change your abbreviations for the terms to make them meaningful and distinct, might as well make the actual wording itself distinct.
Tornado Advisory and Tornado Warning would at least make sense.
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