Tornado Watch/Warning has more to do with the type of weather pattern than actually spotting a tornado. If a system has the right elements for a tornado, then the watch/warning will go out, regardless of whether or not a tornado has actually been spotted. Weather.com says: Outshined is right about watches though. You guys are under a tornando warning. A tornado watch means conditions are ripe for a tornado but there haven't necessarily been any. A tornado warning means a tornado has been spotted. Watches tend to cover larger regions while warnings are localized. not totally true, a lot of tornado warnings are issued because the velocity radar shows a couplet - winds moving in opposite directions, which is indicative of a mesocyclone which are associated with tornadoes. If they waited until tornadoes were sighted they'd warn too late in a lot of cases. In this case....