Definition
A datalink weather product that displays National Weather Service warnings issued for individual U.S. counties, typically covering severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and flash floods. On a Multi-Function Display (MFD), affected counties are highlighted or outlined to show where active warnings are in effect.
Plain English
A map layer that shows which counties currently have severe weather warnings, like tornado or thunderstorm warnings, so a pilot can see exactly where the dangerous weather is.
Context Anchor
Seen on cockpit weather displays that show datalink weather products on an electronic flight display or multi-function display.
Derivation
County comes from an old word for an area governed as a local district. Warning comes from older words meaning to give notice of danger. Together, county warning means a danger notice tied to a local county area, not a broad regional forecast.
Why Pilots Care
Shows whether a warning applies to the planned route or destination, supporting timely diversion or delay decisions.
Intuition Check
Do not read county warnings as warnings issued by the county government. In this aviation weather context, they are National Weather Service warnings organized by county or local warning area.
Example Sentence 1
Before crossing into Oklahoma, the pilot checked the county warnings layer on the MFD and saw two counties highlighted for tornado warnings along the route.
Example Sentence 2
No COUNTY alerts appeared on the weather layer along the direct course.