Tornado Safety: Watch vs. Warning and Where to Shelter

Home / Guides / Tornado safety

For how watches, warnings and advisories work in general, see Watch vs. warning. Here's what they mean for tornadoes.

• Tornado Watch: conditions are favorable for tornadoes in and near the watch area. Review your plan and be ready to act.
• Tornado Warning: a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Take shelter immediately.

Where to go

• A basement, storm cellar, or the lowest floor of a sturdy building.
• No basement? Pick a small interior room with no windows on the lowest floor, such as a closet, a bathroom or an interior hallway.
• Get under something sturdy, and cover your head and neck with your arms, a blanket or a helmet.
• Mobile homes don't offer protection. Plan ahead to get to a sturdy building.

Have more than one way to get warnings

Don't rely on outdoor sirens alone. Use NOAA Weather Radio, Wireless Emergency Alerts on your phone, local media and apps.

Related guides

Sources

• NWS: Tornado safety
• Ready.gov: Tornadoes
• NOAA SPC

🦌

Sister app

Hunt smarter with Your World Hunt

• 🧭 Hunting map with GPS return and directions
• 💨 Wind, barometric pressure, moon and sun times, plus deer feeding times (Premium)
• 🗺️ Trip Planner with Ask Hawk and Top spots: public refuges and private lodges near you
• 🎧 Guides with a Listen button, in English and Spanish

Visit hunt.yourworldapps.si →

Last reviewed November 2026. General information only; follow official guidance in an emergency.