Live Tornado Tracker & US Tornado Warnings Radar

How to Read Tornado Rotation on Doppler Radar

Doppler radar does more than show rain. Its velocity product measures wind moving toward and away from the radar site, and that is how forecasters spot a possible tornado. Look for a tight couplet: a patch of strong inbound wind (usually shown in green) sitting right next to a patch of strong outbound wind (usually shown in red). When those two colors are paired closely together and the couplet persists over several radar scans, it is a classic rotation signature.

Rotation alone is not proof of a tornado on the ground. The National Weather Service confirms tornadoes through a combination of radar signatures, trained spotter reports, and damage surveys after the storm. That is why a radar-indicated tornado warning can be issued before any funnel is seen: the rotation signature is strong enough that forecasters treat it as a real threat.

Tornado Watch vs Tornado Warning

A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes to develop in and near the watch area. It is a heads-up to review your safety plan and stay near a source of weather information. A Tornado Warning means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar, and there is imminent danger to life and property. When a warning is issued for your location, take shelter immediately.

What to Do During a Tornado Warning

• Go to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows, doors, and outside walls.
• A basement, storm cellar, or interior bathroom or closet offers the best protection available in most homes.
• If you are in a vehicle or a mobile home, leave it and seek a sturdy building. Never try to outrun a tornado in a car.
• Stay away from windows and do not open them. Flying debris, not wind alone, causes most tornado injuries.
• Stay sheltered until the warning expires or local officials give the all-clear, and keep a battery-powered weather radio or phone alerts on.

Where Tornadoes Are Most Common in the US

Tornadoes can occur in every US state, but they are most frequent in the central and southern Plains and the Southeast, where warm, moist Gulf air regularly meets cooler air and strong wind shear. Spring is the peak season for the Plains, while the Southeast sees a second active period in late autumn and winter. The city radars below cover some of the most tornado-prone metro areas in the country, so you can follow local warnings where they matter most.

No matter where you live, a tornado warning deserves the same response: shelter first, then check the radar. The live warnings feed above updates directly from the National Weather Service, so the alerts you see here are the same official warnings issued to local media and emergency managers.