This week is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Wisconsin. It's a time to make sure you are prepared for our severe weather season. Go over the terminology we use to describe our severe weather chances and threats and make sure you know what types of severe weather are possible. Most importantly, it's a time to find and practice going to your safe spot as a family during severe weather and especially tornadoes. Does everyone in your family know where to go? What about if the kids are at home alone? Who is going to grab the pets? Is your safe place stocked with water, snacks, shoes, flashlights and other necessary safety items?

Make sure you know the difference between a watch and a warning. A "watch" means conditions are good for severe weather. The ingredients may be there but it is not actively happening. A warning is much more severe and means severe weather is imminent or ongoing and you need to take precautions.

Oftentimes as we get closer to a chance for severe weather we will show you the Storm Prediction Center's Severe Risk Categories. The Level 1 Marginal Risk and Level 2 Slight Risks are the most common in southeast Wisconsin. Severe weather is more likely and tornado outbreaks become more possible as you reach the Level 3, 4, 5 categories. See more about the specifications of each risk category below.

Lightning should always be taken seriously. When thunder roars you should go indoors. Most lightning fatalities across the country happen near water related activities like fishing, boating, camping or sitting at the beach. Men are four times as likely to be struck by lightning as women.

We've already had a tornado outbreak in southeast Wisconsin this spring and our tornado season is ramping up quickly over the next month. In Wisconsin our tornado season peaks in June but stays high through September. Tornadoes are not as common in winter but can happen. February is the only month in Wisconsin to never record a tornado.

Download the CBS 58 Ready Weather app to track our storm and severe weather chances this week.