On Wednesday, much of Hampton Roads was under a tornado watch at some point. Knowing the meaning of different alerts is essential.

You hear the terms watch and warning a lot in severe weather. Here's what they mean and what you should do when it's issued in your area.

We’re entering severe weather season—and in the Four States, that can mean tornadoes. The rapidly spinning, violent columns of air rise from the ground to the cloud base. The National Weather Service issues three kinds of messages for tornadoes: Emergency management specialists say the key to staying safe is planning ahead of