KinwarnLive · National Weather Service data
Live severe thunderstorm warnings
Every severe thunderstorm warning in effect in the US, with the hail size and wind speed the National Weather Service expects. Destructive storms are shown in red.
Sample data from the night of April 27, 2024. These warnings are not in effect. (Only shown on a developer's computer.)
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Severe thunderstorm warnings in the past 7 days
Every severe thunderstorm warning the National Weather Service issued in the last 7 days, newest first, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet archive. Times are in your time zone. Turn on “Past 7 days” to see them on the map.
What makes a thunderstorm severe
The National Weather Service calls a thunderstorm severe when it produces a tornado, winds of at least 58 mph, or hail at least one inch across (quarter size). A severe thunderstorm warning means severe weather has been reported by spotters or indicated by radar, and there is imminent danger in the outlined area. A warning usually covers about the size of a city or small county.
What the tags on each warning mean
| Tag | What NWS expects |
|---|---|
| Wind, hail | The strongest gust and largest hail the warning mentions. A base warning (no damage tag) is for hail of 1 inch and/or winds of 58 mph. |
| Considerable damage | Hail at least 1.75 inches (golf ball size) and/or 70 mph winds. |
| Destructive | Hail at least 2.75 inches (baseball size) and/or 80 mph winds. Sent as a Wireless Emergency Alert. Shown in red. |
What to do
- Take shelter in a sturdy building and stay away from windows.
- Get out of mobile homes, which can blow over in high winds.
- When thunder roars, go indoors: if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning. See lightning safety.
Learn the difference between a severe thunderstorm watch and a warning.
Storm alerts for every family home.
Kinwarn for iPhone watches the exact addresses of the people you love and alerts you when a National Weather Service warning covers them. Alerts for 2 places are free. With Kinwarn Pro, Kinwarn also calls family for the most dangerous warnings.
Coming soon to the App Store · iPhoneKinwarn adds to official alerts. Keep Wireless Emergency Alerts on.
Questions people ask
What makes a thunderstorm severe?
The National Weather Service calls a thunderstorm severe when it produces a tornado, winds of at least 58 mph, or hail at least one inch across.
What does “destructive” mean on a severe thunderstorm warning?
It is the highest damage threat tag on a severe thunderstorm warning: hail at least 2.75 inches across (baseball size) and/or thunderstorm winds of 80 mph. Since August 2021 these warnings automatically go out as Wireless Emergency Alerts to phones in the warned area. Kinwarn shows them in red, like a tornado warning.
Is a severe thunderstorm warning ever about tornadoes?
A tornado is one of the things that makes a thunderstorm severe in the National Weather Service definition. Some severe thunderstorm warnings carry a “tornado possible” tag; Kinwarn shows it exactly as written in the warning. If a tornado warning is issued for your area, take shelter right away.
How long does a severe thunderstorm warning last?
Each warning has its own end time, set by the National Weather Service in the warning. The end time is shown on every warning in the list above.
Sources
More live maps
Tornado warnings
Every tornado warning in effect, with radar and storm reports.
Flash flood warnings
Flash flood warnings and emergencies, plus flood watches.
Tornado watches
Where conditions favor tornadoes in the next few hours.
Severe thunderstorm watches
Where severe storms could form in the next few hours.
Severe weather outlook
Storm risk today, tomorrow and the day after, levels 1 to 5.