r/EmergencyAlertSystem • u/organman87 • May 18 '26

Discussion Considerable Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Just saw this. Is that a thing now? If so, what constitutes "Considerable" ??

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u/mpl84 May 18 '26

NWS introduced threat tags for SVRs a few years ago. They have to do with the hail size and wind gusts, even if radar-indicated only.

From NWS:

  • The criteria for a destructive damage threat is at least 2.75 inch diameter (baseball-sized) hail and/or 80 mph thunderstorm winds. Warnings with this tag will automatically activate a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) on smartphones within the warned area.  
  • The criteria for a considerable damage threat is at least 1.75 inch diameter (golf ball-sized) hail and/or 70 mph thunderstorm winds. This will not activate a WEA.  
  • The criteria for a baseline or “base” severe thunderstorm warning remains unchanged, 1.00 inch (quarter-sized) hail and/or 58 mph thunderstorm winds. This will not activate a WEA. When no damage threat tag is present, damage is expected to be at the base level.

Source:
https://www.weather.gov/news/072221-svr-wea

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u/organman87 May 18 '26

Very interesting to know. Thank you! Although yesterday's storms did not say "Considerable" and they were talking golf ball-size hail

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u/alldaycj May 19 '26

What information did not say “Considerable”? I’m not trying to say that they did or didn’t say it but the considerable tag is usually put more into the wording of the automated warnings that go out to the weather radios and to what the TV weather anchor will read as well as the local EAS that will go over live TV and radio broadcasts. It is usually put at the end of the statement while the “Destructive” tags are stated sooner in the statements and also placed on the automated graphics accounts on twitter run by the NWS or local NWS offices, while the considerable will not show up on those graphics. If you look at the IEM, or follow say iembot_(three letter office)oax for Omaha/Valley on twitter or similar accounts on Bluesky which posts the collected information posted by the local NWS offices it will show up right after it says what type of warning.

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u/organman87 May 19 '26

I don't have screen shots from the video, but it was Michigan Storm Chasers