Track tornado warnings and watches right now, state by state
None activeThe tornado tracker shows no tornado watches or warnings active right now. Below: where severe storms are most likely, and what to do when a warning is issued.
Is there a tornado watch today?
Tornado watches are issued by the Storm Prediction Center for several hours over a multi-county area.
No tornado watch is in effect right now. A watch means tornadoes are possible and a warning means one is happening, so the watch comes first when a risk builds.
Every tornado watch and warning by state · Tornado watch vs warning, and what to do in each · SPC watches (official)
Tornado emergency today
The two highest tornado warning levels, from the National Weather Service alerts feed.
No tornado emergency is in effect right now. No tornado warnings are active either. A tornado emergency is the rarest and most urgent level of tornado warning.
What a tornado emergency and a PDS warning mean · Every tornado emergency since 1999 · All active tornado alerts
Severe weather risk today
Where thunderstorms and tornadoes are most likely over the next three days. Updated even when no tornado is happening.
Highest severe weather category for today: Marginal Risk (level 1 of 5).
Categories run from Marginal (1) to High (5) and show where severe storms are possible, not that one will reach your location. Red and orange outlines are tornado warnings and watches in effect now. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center outlook.
No tracked tornado event right now
No tornado event is being tracked right now. Tornado warnings are short-fuse, so learn where you would shelter before one is issued.
Check your location
See which alerts apply where you are, and what to do for each. ZIP code or city, no sign-up.
Use my current locationWhat could be next
Tornadoes can happen in any month and in every state. Activity usually peaks in spring across the central and southern Plains, and the Southeast has significant risk in the cooler months as well. A tornado warning can be issued with only minutes of lead time, so know your shelter before the sky changes.
Tornado Alley states: tornadoes by state, 1950 to 2024 · Tornado history for your city
SPC convective outlooks
Where severe thunderstorms and tornadoes are possible today and the next two days.
Official source →SPC watches and mesoscale discussions
Current tornado and severe thunderstorm watches.
Official source →Ready.gov: tornadoes
Official preparation and shelter steps from FEMA.
Official source →Tornado watch vs warning
| Alert | What it means |
|---|---|
| Tornado Watch | Conditions are favorable for tornadoes over a multi-county area, usually for several hours. Review your plan and stay alert. |
| Tornado Warning | A tornado is happening or is indicated by radar. Take shelter now, in the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows. |
| Tornado Emergency | A confirmed large tornado is moving through a populated area. Exceptional threat to life. |
Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale
Tornadoes are rated after the fact from damage surveys. Wind speeds are estimates of a 3-second gust. A rating does not tell you how dangerous a tornado was to the people in its path.
| Rating | Estimated gust | Typical damage |
|---|---|---|
| EF0 | 65 to 85 mph | Light: branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over |
| EF1 | 86 to 110 mph | Moderate: roof surfaces peeled, mobile homes overturned |
| EF2 | 111 to 135 mph | Considerable: roofs torn off frame houses, large trees snapped |
| EF3 | 136 to 165 mph | Severe: entire stories of well-built houses destroyed |
| EF4 | 166 to 200 mph | Devastating: well-built houses leveled |
| EF5 | Over 200 mph | Incredible: strong frame houses swept away |
What to do
General steps in the order you will need them. Enter your location for steps matched to your actual alerts.
Get ready
Now
Your safe place is a basement, safe room or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows. Tornado warnings are sent as Wireless Emergency Alerts.
Source: NWS: Tornado watches and warnings Full guide →
Decide
If conditions worsen
Move to your basement, safe room or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If time allows, take pets with you.
Source: NWS: Tornado watches and warnings Full guide →A mobile home or tent is not safe in a tornado. Seek a sturdy building immediately when a tornado approaches.
Source: NWS: During a tornado Full guide →The best option is to drive to the closest shelter. If you cannot reach one, stay low in the car and protect your head, or leave the vehicle for a low-lying area such as a ditch or ravine.
Source: NWS: During a tornado Full guide →
Ride it out
During
Lightning kills about 20 people in the U.S. each year. See the NWS lightning safety page for what to do and how long to wait.
Source: NWS: Lightning Full guide →
Guides
All tornado guides →Tornado watch vs tornado warning: what each means and what to do
A tornado watch means tornadoes are possible; a tornado warning means one has been sighted or shown on radar. Who issues each, and what to do in each.
UnderstandingWhat a tornado emergency means, and how it differs from a PDS tornado warning
What a tornado emergency is, how it differs from a tornado warning and a PDS warning, when the National Weather Service issues one, and every one since 1999.
Staying safeTornado safety: watch vs warning and where to take shelter
Know what a tornado watch and warning mean and where the NWS says to shelter at home, in a mobile home or in a vehicle.
PreparingTornado safe rooms and shelters: what counts and what to do
What FEMA means by a safe room, the next-best tornado shelter Ready.gov names, and what to do in a car or mobile home, from official FEMA and Ready.gov pages.
UnderstandingTornado season and Tornado Alley: when and where tornadoes happen
Find when tornado season peaks by region, what Tornado Alley means, and how many tornadoes hit the U.S. each year, from NOAA.
UnderstandingStrongest, deadliest and biggest tornadoes in U.S. history
The deadliest, widest, costliest and strongest-measured tornadoes in U.S. history, with numbers from NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.
UnderstandingTornado outbreaks: what they are and the biggest on record
What a tornado outbreak is, how the Storm Prediction Center counts one, and the largest outbreaks on record, including April 2011 and the 1974 Super Outbreak.
UnderstandingFunnel cloud vs tornado: what is the difference?
See how a funnel cloud differs from a tornado, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, and why it still deserves a response.
UnderstandingTornado sirens: what they mean and why some towns have none
What tornado sirens are for, why there is no national rule on them, and why you should not depend on them indoors.
Staying safeThunderstorms and lightning: what to do when thunder roars
Ready.gov guidance for a thunderstorm warning: get indoors, avoid plugged-in electronics and running water, and never drive through floodwater.
PreparingHow to get weather and emergency alerts on your iPhone or Android phone
How to turn on weather and emergency alerts on iPhone and Android, which weather warnings Wireless Emergency Alerts send, and other ways to get warnings.
RecoveringReturning home after a storm or flood
Check that your home is safe to enter after a storm or flood: structure, power, gas, water and mold, plus cleanup steps, from CDC guidance.
RecoveringInsurance claims and FEMA help after a disaster
Start your insurance claim, document the damage and apply for FEMA individual assistance with this first-steps guide, from FEMA guidance.
Recent events
Common questions about tornadoes
What is the difference between a tornado watch and a warning?
A watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes in your region, usually for several hours. A warning means a tornado is happening or is indicated by radar, so take shelter immediately.
What's worse, a tornado watch or a tornado warning?
A warning. A watch means tornadoes are possible, so be prepared. A warning means a tornado has been seen or detected and people in its path are in immediate danger. A tornado emergency is the highest of the three (National Weather Service).
What does PDS mean on a tornado warning or watch?
PDS stands for particularly dangerous situation, and its meaning depends on the product. On a tornado warning it is the middle tier, issued rarely when a strong tornado poses a considerable threat to life and property. On a watch it means long-lasting, strong or violent tornadoes are possible (National Weather Service).
Where is the safest place in a tornado?
The lowest floor of a sturdy building, in an interior room away from windows. Mobile homes and vehicles are not safe: move to a sturdy building if you can reach one safely.
How do I get tornado warnings?
Turn on Wireless Emergency Alerts on your phone, keep a NOAA Weather Radio, and use more than one source. Warnings can come with very little notice, including at night.
How are tornadoes rated?
By damage, on the Enhanced Fujita scale from EF0 to EF5, after the National Weather Service surveys the area. The rating can change after a survey.