'Considerable', 'destructive', PDS & tornado emergencies
Not every warning carries the same danger, so the National Weather Service tags many warnings by how bad the impact could be. These tags — part of what's called Impact-Based Warnings — tell you when a warning deserves extra action, and some of them are what make your phone buzz.
Severe thunderstorm warning tiers
A severe thunderstorm warning already means damaging wind (58+ mph) or large hail (1"+). Two tags mark the storms that are worse than that baseline:
- "Considerable"— at least 70 mph wind gusts or 1.75" (golf ball) hail. A genuinely damaging storm; treat it seriously.
- "Destructive"— at least 80 mph wind gusts or 2.75" (baseball) hail. This is the top tier, and since 2021 a destructive-tagged warning automatically sends a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) to phones in the area, just like a tornado warning.
Tornado warning wording: PDS and tornado emergency
A standard tornado warning is already an act-now alert. Two escalations signal even greater danger:
- PDS (Particularly Dangerous Situation) — added when a strong, potentially violent tornado is likely.
- Tornado emergency — the most severe wording the NWS uses: a confirmed, large, destructive tornado is bearing down on a populated area. This is a threat to life — shelter in the safest place available immediately.
Flash floods and extreme wind
Flash flood warnings use the same idea: a "considerable" tag marks a dangerous event, and a flash flood emergency is reserved for catastrophic, life-threatening flooding — both alert phones via WEA. An extreme wind warning is a separate, rare alert for surface winds over 115 mph, such as a major hurricane's eyewall — treat it like a tornado warning and shelter on the lowest floor, away from windows.
How Atmostorm shows this
On the live map and in push alerts, Atmostorm surfaces these tags in plain language, so a "destructive" storm or a tornado emergency stands out from a routine warning instead of hiding in the fine print. New to the terms? Start with watch vs. warning, or see where storms are likely today in the severe weather outlook.
Common questions
What does a 'destructive' severe thunderstorm warning mean?⌄
Destructive is the highest severe-thunderstorm tag: at least 80 mph wind gusts or baseball-size (2.75 inch) hail. Since 2021 a destructive-tagged severe thunderstorm warning automatically triggers a Wireless Emergency Alert to phones in the warned area, like a tornado warning does.
What is the difference between 'considerable' and 'destructive'?⌄
They're impact tiers on a severe thunderstorm warning. Considerable means at least 70 mph wind or 1.75 inch (golf ball) hail. Destructive is more extreme — 80+ mph wind or 2.75 inch (baseball) hail — and it, unlike considerable, alerts phones via Wireless Emergency Alerts.
What does PDS mean in a tornado warning?⌄
PDS stands for 'Particularly Dangerous Situation.' It's added to a tornado warning when a strong, potentially violent tornado is likely — a step up in urgency from a standard tornado warning. Shelter immediately.
What is a tornado emergency?⌄
A tornado emergency is the most severe wording the NWS uses: a confirmed, large, and destructive tornado is moving toward a populated area with a threat to life. It signals the highest level of danger — take shelter in the safest place available without delay.
Educational summary, not official guidance. Always confirm current watches and warnings at weather.gov and follow your local NWS office and emergency officials.