Are Severe Weather Alerts Overused?

Just two thunderstorm and tornado warnings and watches were issued in Waukesha County in 1982 — compared with 18 during 2012.

The increase from 30 years ago could be attributed improved technology as well as an increased understanding of weather systems, local meteorologists say.

"Doppler radar came out in the mid-90s, and that allowed us to see the rotation, we could then see velocity data — we could actually see the wind speeds," said Meteorologist Mark Gehring with the Milwaukee/Sullivan National Weather Service forecast office. 

Gehring said meteorologists monitor these doppler radars watching for speeds of more than 50 mph or rotating winds — especially when those are occurring in lower levels of the atmosphere.

A watch is issued when meteorologists see the potential for severe weather to develop, and a warning is issued as those conditions become more severe and "it's either happening or we expect it to happen," he said. "We want to get the tornado warning out before the tornado forms … and we're able to get that a good amount of times." 

Patch asked its readers on Facebook whether storm warnings and watches are overdone, and while some respondents felt the abundance of alerts issued made it hard to take them serious — others said its still important to pay attention.

"(Alerts are) overdone, so many times I have cancelled plans and nothing has happened," reader Jenny Peterson Havlik wrote on the Menomonee Falls Facebook page.

"I have mixed feelings about the 'tornado sirens' as we used to call them when we were kids," Dyan Oleson Brinkman wrote on the Sussex Facebook page. "And they were just that back then ... it was the alert to get in the basement or take cover. Now they sound as soon as there is the threat for severe weather. So although they do not force me to the basement, they do make me aware of what's going on with the weather... and if I was at a park away from my home I would know that I should probably pack it up and head home."

Wisconsin's peak tornado season is considered be during June and July, according to the National Weather Service, meaning the state has nearly escaped the timeframe with little incident. However, the station warns, extreme weather can happen at any time. 

Here, use Patch's database to search by month, year and county the number of watches and warnings issued since 1982.

More weather information

• Extreme weather causes injury, even death. Find out such tolls over the past 30 years in your county.
• Which extreme weather can you best tolerate? Vote in our poll.
• Fact or myth: Is Lake Michigan a tornado deterrent?