To be recognized as StormReady, a community or county must meet criteria established jointly between the NWS and state and local emergency management officials. These criteria include:

• Having a local 24-hour warning point and an Emergency Operations Center.
• Having multiple ways of receiving NWS warnings.
• Being able to monitor local weather/river conditions.
• Having multiple ways of alerting the public.
• Promoting public readiness through community seminars and presentations.
• Having a formal hazardous weather plan.
• Having trained spotters.
• Conducting periodic drills / exercises.
• Interacting with their supporting NWS office.

The essence of the program is to ensure the entire warning system performs properly when severe weather strikes. The "system" is comprised of the NWS (which issues the warnings), local emergency management (which ensures the warnings get communicated), and you (who respond properly to the warnings). When each part of this system performs well, lives and property are saved. StormReady recognizes those counties in which the system is most likely to perform well.