About severe weather?

Question

What does slight, moderate and high risk for severe weather mean? I mean, I know basically what it means but I heard somebody saying moderate risk is like it's going to happen for sure... How does this work in percentages? I know nobody knows if we're getting a tornado, where and at what time, but I would like to know if moderate risk is bad... We have a moderate risk in the midwest for today and I just would like to know... Thanks!

Answer 1

Slight Risk- Possible
Moderate Risk- Likely
High Risk- Probable

There all bad actually, but Moderate risk means that Organized SEvere Thunderstorms are likely for your region at some point during today.

I'm in SE Michigan under the Slight Risk area. The best likelyhood of Severe won't arrive until late in the afternoon. So just keep a watchful eye to the sky and except some form of a Severe weather watch during the day.

Answer 2

Slight to moderate to severe may indicate the level of destruction the weather may CAUSE. Such as a severe downpour may lead to flooding.
On the other hand, Watches and Warnings indicate by what MAY or WILL LIKELY happened- a Watch has been issued as conditions may develop,but have not happened, yet. A Warning has been issued since conditions are present for a situation to occur.

Answer 3

Those are the precentages or the probability that it will happen.

Heres a link to the Storm Prediction Center's Convective outlooks.

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/

Click on it then scroll over tornado, hail, wind. Those are the precentages or the probability that it will happen. you can also click on more info under tornad hail and wind to learn more.

Answer 4

Obviously all three levels are uncertainties. I would be surprised if there were not levels at which "Certainty" was reached.

Try contacting a weather site on the net: I expect the %ages vary from department to department.