TORRO has been producing experimental forecasts of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes for many years for inhouse use. For the past three years these forecasts have also been published on the public forum of UKweatherworld. These forecasts have proven accurate enough for publication in the public domain and will now be published as and when severe weather is deemed imminent on the Severe Weather Forecast Page.

There are three types of TORRO forecast:

CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK

These will be issued on a non-regular basis if severe weather is expected in the next few days, and it is deemed sensible to highlight this risk in advance. These will not be numbered sequentially.

CONVECTIVE DISCUSSION

These will be issued if marginally severe thunderstorms, isolated severe thunderstorms, weak tornadoes, or marginal conditions for tornadoes are forecast. The forecasts will be numbered sequentially, starting afresh each year.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM and TORNADO WATCHES

These will be issued when conditions have appear favourable for tornadoes or severe thunderstorms across parts of the UK/Eire, usually within the next few hours from the time of issuance. These will be numbered sequentially, starting afresh each year. The total will include both types of forecast.