Kelly P. Kissel
File - In this April 11, 2013 file photo, Shuqualak, Miss. residents begin cleanup of debris from homes after a tornado plowed through rural sections of eastern Mississippi, killing at least one person and causing widespread damage and power outages, officials said. The Storm Prediction Center plans to broaden its days-in-advance warning system for severe weather after finding the days labeled with a “Slight Risk” tag turned out to have storms that were fairly stout _ and even deadly. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)
January 16, 2014 - 10:07 PM
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Forecasters intend to change advisories that warn when tornadoes or high winds are on the way.
Instead of just saying there's a slight, moderate or high risk of severe weather, the Storm Prediction Center will add the labels "marginal" and "enhanced." Center director Russ Schneider said forecasters had found that some days branded as having a "slight risk" of storms actually turned out to be nasty.
National Weather Service administrators still must approve the change, which could take place in April.
State emergency managers say if the public has been tuning out any "slight risk" warnings, the new language could make them pay attention.
Schneider said the new warning system could be especially helpful in the eastern United States, which doesn't see the same violent weather as Tornado Alley.
News from © The Associated Press, 2014