WHEELING, W.Va. (WTRF) – It is the start of spring and as we enter a new season with new weather changes, it’s important to become aware of the risks, signs, and procedures as we approach the summer months. 

In the Ohio Valley–we experience all kinds of severe weather. We have floods, tornadoes, and heavy winds that can cause lots of damage and power outages. 

The most important thing to be aware of in these situations is the difference between a “watch” and a “warning.” 

StormTracker7 Chief Meteorologist Zach Petey tells us what exactly to look out for when it comes to monitoring severe weather. 

”A watch – that means all of the ingredients are there. So, you’re baking a cake. You have your eggs, you have your flour, you have your milk, you have your sugar. A warning, when baking, is we have all of our ingredients in the bowl, and we put it in the oven and the cake is made. So, let’s say we have all of the ingredients in place for a potential tornado. Well, once those ingredients are formed and the tornado has occurred, it’s radar indicated or we have it actually visibly conformed, then the warning would then be issued. So, it’s more so a combination of all of the ingredients and it formed the particular event that we’re keeping an eye out for. Warning is more critical than a watch.”

Zach Petey – Chief Meteorologist

To be prepared, always have a way to get weather alerts as we head into June, July, and August when severe weather is more prominent.  

As always, the StormTracker7 Weather Team stays ahead by providing updates on air, online, and on the StormTracker7 Weather App as we head into any severe weather we may encounter coming up.