Browse safely
If someone else uses or checks your phone or computer, they may be able to see that you visited this site. Here's what you can do, and what this site does and doesn't keep.
Others may be able to see your history
Browsers keep a list of the sites you visit. Anyone who can use your device or your browser account may be able to see that list.
Use a private window
Most browsers offer a private or incognito window that doesn't keep a history of the pages you visit in it. Look for "New private window" or "New incognito window" in your browser's menu.
A private window has limits, and it isn't the right tool for every situation. The National Domestic Violence Hotline explains what private browsing does and doesn't protect, and other ways to stay safer online:
Read the Hotline's internet safety guide
How our quick exit works
- The yellow Quick exit button is at the top of every page, and it stays on screen as you scroll. Pressing it takes you straight to weather.gov.
- You can also press the Esc key twice quickly.
- Quick exit replaces the page you were on, so pressing Back won't return to it.
Quick exit does not erase your history. Pages from this site may still appear in your browser history, and if you viewed more than one page here, Back may lead to an earlier one. It only changes the tab you're in, so close any other tabs with this site open. The Escape shortcut needs JavaScript; the button works either way, but without JavaScript Back will return to this site.
What can stay on your device
Quick exit and clearing your browser history don't remove everything. Things that can stay behind include:
- Files you save. If you use "Save image" on a statistic, the picture goes to your downloads folder or photo library, and it stays there after you leave this site or clear your history. The image shows the statistic and our site name. To remove it, delete the file itself, then check for a "Recently deleted" folder or trash.
- Calls and texts. Tapping a hotline number on this site starts a regular phone call or text, so it appears in your phone's call or message history like any other.
- Bookmarks and open tabs you've made or left open.
What this site does and doesn't keep
- Our pages don't set cookies or store anything in your browser. (Cloudflare, which delivers the site, can set a short-lived security cookie in some cases; see Privacy.)
- There are no ads. We count visits with Cloudflare Web Analytics, which doesn't use cookies or store anything on your device; see Privacy.
- The self-checks, quiz, and support finder work on your device. Your answers aren't sent anywhere, saved, or added to the page address, and they're cleared when you leave the page. (Clearing them needs JavaScript. Without it, pressing Back to one of these pages may show your earlier answers, so close the tab when you're done.)
- Like most websites, the servers that deliver these pages may keep standard technical logs of requests, such as the address a request came from and the page asked for. We don't add anything that identifies you.
Talk to someone
If you're worried someone is monitoring your devices, advocates at the National Domestic Violence Hotline can help you plan: call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), text START to 88788. More options are on our Get help page.