The accidental invention of the weather radar during World War II was one of the most important advances we’ve made in keeping people safe from severe storms. Today, the United States is covered by more than 150 Doppler radar sites, but there are some pretty dangerous gaps in that coverage. Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) recently introduced a bill ordering the construction of new radar sites to cover some of the country’s most vulnerable cities, but the bill might be worded just cleverly enough that it applies to exactly one city, which is coincidentally the largest in Burr’s home state.

Today will be a pretty interesting weather day across some of the most heavily-populated sections of the East Coast, as there’s a heightened risk for large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes in major cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, D.C., Baltimore, and Philadelphia. Here’s what you need to know to stay safe.

A tornado watch is in effect for some major cities in the southeastern United States this afternoon, including the eastern suburbs of Atlanta, as well as Charlotte, Greenville, Columbia, and Asheville. Any storms that form in the watch area are capable of producing tornadoes.

A stink bug triggered a false code red air quality alert in Charlotte, North Carolina yesterday after it landed on a sensor that monitors the city's air quality.