Tornado watches & warnings what's the difference? Published Sept. 12, 2014 By Senior Airman Frank Casciotta 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Though tornado season is over, September is National Preparedness Month and tornados are a threat to Oklahomans -- even out of season. "One of the reasons tornadoes are so dangerous is because they are unpredictable and hard to forecast," said Senior Airman Joshua Daggett, a 71st Logistics Readiness Squadron emergency management journeyman. "We can determine if a storm is able to produce a tornado, but we cannot say when or where they will occur. That's why it is important for people to take tornado watches and warnings seriously." A Tornado Watch does not require any specific conditions to be issued. Instead, forecasters look for consistent weather patterns that have produced tornadoes in the past, said Senior Airman Ebony Simmons, a 71st Weather Flight weather forecaster. Warnings are issued when tornados are actually detected in the sky or on radar. "The word we like to use is 'imminent,'" said Simmons. "Sometimes the tornado won't touch down, but it was there. Other times it will touch down further away than we anticipated. But if a warning is issued then we have seen one." One of the ways Airmen can stay abreast of watches and warnings is through the use of smartphones. "There are apps like Air Force Be Ready and any Federal Emergency Management Agency approved apps are a wealth of information," said Daggett, about programs available for smartphones. "Some apps can even notify you of any emergency alerts that have been issued in your area."