- A hurricane watch means that a hurricane might hit an area within 24 to 36 hours. A warning, meanwhile, means that forecasters expect a hurricane to strike an area in the next 24 hours.
- A watch might be issued when a hurricane is beginning to form if it seems it will threaten land. A warning might stay in effect after winds have lessened if water conditions from the hurricane continue to threaten.
- During a hurricane watch, storm winds may not yet have reached hurricane force. When a warning is issued, the storm is a full-fledged hurricane with sustained winds of at least 74 mph.
- A watch alerts people that the threat posed by a storm has grown significantly, the National Weather Service says, giving them time to prepare. Life and property are at risk in an area under a warning.
- Because watches track a storm's movements 36 hours out, the hurricane's path and destination are less predictable than during warnings. Thus, areas alerted to a watch tend to be larger than areas receiving a warning.
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