GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The threat of a tornado can sometimes be scary, or cause many people to worry. However, keeping yourself educated on this topic can help many people stay calm in these situations.

First, there is a common misconception about the meteorological terms “watch” vs. “warning”.

A watch is when the atmosphere has conditions that are favorable to create severe weather. This does not mean that it will 100 percent happen.

A warning, however, means that severe weather, in this case, a tornado, has been spotted, and you should find shelter immediately.

In either situation, creating a severe weather safety plan is the most important priority when it comes to severe weather. Here at Storm Team 5, we have great tips and suggestions on things you can add to your own severe weather safety plan during and after a tornado.

Phillip Kurimski, a senior meteorologist at the Green Bay National Weather Service, gave his opinion on how to stay safe during a tornado:

“So generally, we want people to keep track of the weather…what’s going to happen. If that’s the case, we want people to listen to the weather really closely. Develop your plan at that point. If the worst happens, what am I going to do and where am I going to be. If we’re expecting storms, say between 5 and 7pm, think to yourself, where am I going to be, what’s going to be my plan of action, and how am I going to execute it. So if you’re going to be like at a baseball game outside, it’s going to be a different plan of action than say at work or at home.”

If you ever have questions about severe weather, or anything tornado-related, please feel free to contact any of us here from Storm Team 5. Get our Storm Team 5 weather app as well, to stay updated on the latest weather and track the radar, especially during severe weather.