Since we typically don’t have hurricanes in this part of the country, many of you might not know the difference between a hurricane watch and a hurricane warning. As you follow the Gustav news over the weekend, however, knowing the difference might just come in handy.

Here are some definitions:

WATCH: Hurricane conditions are possible in the specified area of the watch, usually within 36 hours.

WARNING: Hurricane conditions are expected in the specified area of the warning, usually within 24 hours.

Also, for those REALLY wanting the latest scoop, I’d urge you to check out the new Hurricane Gustav (even though it’s technically still a tropical storm) Online Newsroom. You can see it here.

Photo courtesy of TopTechWriter.US (that’s a hurricane as viewed from space!)