(Las Animas, CO) -- As I surveyed the possible damage from Tuesday night's storm at the Bent County Backyard Barnyard News Studio, I realized something. Not everyone knows the difference between watch and warning. Now, I know for those of you well-versed in weather you're rolling your eyes, go ahead. When the sirens were sounding Tuesday night in Bent County with a warning, I'm sure there were many folks who were a little amped up.
I have a friend at the National Weather Service who once did a power point slide to explain the difference between watch and warning. Everyone giggled in the weather spotter class when it went up but we all remember it.
The watch is issued when conditions are right for severe weather events to happen. It's likely a set of data, radar watching etc. Probably there's a whole lot of math in there too. I'll leave that to the scientists.
The warning is when it's ON! It's happening and it's now.
I thought it best to do this little story when the skies were calm. Today, Wednesday June 8th, appears to be that day, however, according to the National Weather Service, more in possibly coming.
They're WATCHING.
Here's what's expected from their website:
DAY ONE...Today and Tonight
One or two strong to severe thunderstorms will be possible across
the southern Sangre De Cristo mountains and the Raton Mesa region
this afternoon and evening. Hail up to around 1 inch in diameter
and wind gusts to around 60 mph will be possible with the stronger
storms. Elsewhere isolated thunderstorms will be possible in and
near the higher terrain today with gusty winds up to 45 mph and
lightning the primary risk. Some brief moderate to heavy rainfall
will accompany thunderstorms across the southeast mountains and
adjacent plains. Although the risk is low, there is a low end
chance for flash flooding or elevated flows on the Spring Burn
scar should a stronger storm impact this region.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday
Isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms will be
possible across the southeast plains on Thursday. Large hail and
damaging winds will be the primary risk especially east of a line
from La Junta to Kim.
Drier weather returns for late week into early next week with
isolated thunderstorms possible over and near the mountains each
afternoon from Friday through Sunday. The primary storm risks will
be lightning and gusty winds up to 45 mph.
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