Tornado and severe thunderstorm watches are issued by the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla, which monitors the potential for severe weather around the clock.

A tornado or severe thunderstorm watch means you should be alert to rapidly changing weather conditions and be quickly able to enact your tornado and severe storm safety plan. Be thinking about where you will go and what you will do if a warning is issued for your location.

See full story in the Sunday, March 3, edition of The Advocate & Democrat.