Storm Terminology
Imagine this: You’re on a long walk around the neighborhood, enjoying the clear skies of an autumn Saturday. Out of nowhere, you feel a raindrop hit your forehead. Before you know it, you’re rushing home as a fall storm comes across Valley Ranch.
While the IFCD 3 team works to help protect Valley Ranch from flooding, understanding key storm terms can help you know what to expect and how to respond to the ever-changing North Texas weather landscape:
Weather Advisories: Advisories are issued when forecasters observe weather patterns known to frequently result in conditions that could interfere with daily routines or create any sort of hazardous situation. One of the benefits of receiving an advisory is that there usually is time to make plans. For example, it may be possible to reschedule travel to before or after the time period covered by the advisory, secure items around your home or place of business that could be damaged by a significant weather event or make repairs that you’ve been putting off that could improve the ability for your home or business to make it through a significant weather event. Know that presence or absence of an advisory does not guarantee any particular weather outcome – an advisory should be considered as an early step in helping ensure that people are weather aware.
Weather Watches: A watch is issued whenever conditions are viewed as having the potential to result in a serious storm or other major weather event that could result in injury or damage to property. Note: Like any other weather forecasting, not all watches result in the weather event identified as being possible – watches are intended to assist public safety personnel and the general public, alike, in being prepared for a potentially imminent and significant storm.
Weather Warnings: Warnings demand immediate individual and community action. While IFCD 3 and other agencies at the city and county level are prepared to address significant weather well ahead of an advisory, watch or warning being issued, the District and other public safety personnel take immediate action. In our case, we make sure ensure that people, sluice gates, pumps and other flood control facilities are activated according to IFCD 3 operating plans, with team members at their posts in readiness to act and keep water in our system at proper levels.
The types of weather that can create advisories, watches or warnings are varied. The most common situations are major rain, snow or ice storms, as well as lightning, each of which requires a customized approach. Increased wind levels -- whether straight-line or tornadic -- are watched carefully, as are extremely low or high temperatures or humidity. The National Weather Service is responsible for triggering a series of alerts impending weather issues for first responders and the news media.
For more information about these terms and the work of the National Weather Service, visit weather.gov.