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Severe Weather Awareness
Facts and
General Information
Severe Weather Warnings
- The National Weather service
considers a thunderstorm to be severe if it produces hail 3/4 inch
or larger, wind 58 mph or stronger, or tornadoes.
- Watches are issued when
conditions are favorable for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms or
flash floods. If you are in a watch area, make plans to seek
shelter if necessary.
- Warnings are issued when
severe weather has been reported or is imminent. Seek shelter
immediately if you are in or near the path of the storm.
- Warnings are issued by county names.
Know the name of the county you live in and the counties that
surround you.
- Sirens are meant to warn those who
are outdoors. If you hear a siren, turn on a radio or TV to hear
safety information and seek shelter immediately.
Thunderstorms, Winds and Hail
- The typical thunderstorm is 15 miles
in diameter and lasts an average of 30 minutes.
- Thunderstorms can produce a strong
out rush of wind known as a downburst or straight-line winds which
may exceed 120 mph. They can overturn mobile homes, tear roofs off
houses and topple trees.
- Hail annually causes nearly one
billion dollars in damage nationally. Many of the losses are
incurred by farmers. Large hailstones fall at speeds faster than
100 mph and have been known to kill people.
Lightning
Tornado Safety Information
When a Tornado Warning is issued for
your county, if you are:
In the house
- Go to the basement. Get under
a table, workbench or other sturdy furniture.
- If there is no basement, go
into a small interior room on the lowest floor (closets, bathrooms
and interior halls afford the best protection). Stay Away From
Windows.
In an apartment, school or office building
- Move to the innermost room on the
lowest level or to a pre-designated shelter area. Crouch down and
protect your head from flying debris. Avoid areas with glass and
large roof spans.
In a mobile home
- Abandon it immediately. Seek a
sturdy shelter or permanent structure. If there is not time, get
out and lie flat in the nearest ditch or depression with your
hands shielding your head.
In a vehicle
- Get out of the vehicle and lie flat
in a ditch or ravine. Never try to out-drive a tornado.
During a Tornado Watch:
- Listen to the radio or television to
get current weather information.
- Bring loose objects inside or tie
them down securely if they are to be left outdoors.
- Be prepared to take shelter.
When a Tornado Warning is given:
- Listen to the radio for updated
warning information.
- Move to your shelter area
immediately.
- Stay away from windows.
- In your home:
- go to the basement, storm cellar or
lowest level of the home and take cover, preferably under the
stairwell
- if there is no basement, go to a
room in the inner part of the house (with no windows), such as a
bathroom or closet, on the lowest floor of the dwelling
- get under a piece of sturdy
furniture such as a workbench or heavy table
- In an office building, hospital,
nursing home and school:
- go to the designated shelter area
- if there is no shelter area, go to
an inside hallway on the lowest floor
- In mobile homes or vehicles:
- leave and go to a more substantial
shelter (this recommendation applies even if the mobile home is
"tied down".)
- If you are out-of-doors with no
shelter available:
- lie flat in a nearby ditch and
shield your head with your arms
- If you’re in a vehicle:
- never try to out drive a tornado in a
car or truck. Tornadoes can change direction quickly and can lift
up a car or truck and toss it through the air
- get out of the car immediately and
take shelter in a nearby building
- If there is no time to get indoors,
get out of the car and lie in a ditch or low-lying area away from
the vehicle. Be aware of the potential for flooding.
Flash Floods
- Nationally, floods claim
nearly 200 lives annually, force 300,000 persons from their homes,
and cause property damage in excess of 2 billion dollars.
- When driving do not cross through
high water. Two feet of running water is enough to carry away most
vehicles. Fifty percent of flash flood deaths occur in vehicles.
What are the
various winter weather warnings and advisories?
- A winter storm watch indicates that severe
winter weather conditions may affect your area.
- A winter storm warning indicates that severe
winter conditions are imminent.
- A winter storm warning for heavy snow indicates
snowfalls of at least six inches in 12 hours or eight inches in a
24-hour period are expected. (In the Upper Peninsula, it
indicates eight or more inches in 12 hours and 10 or more inches
in a 24-hour period.)
- Blizzard warnings are issued when sustained
wind speeds of at least 35 miles per hour are accompanied by
considerable falling and/or blowing snow. Visibility
is greatly reduced during a blizzard.
- Snow advisories are issued when snowfalls of
three to six inches are expected in a 12-hour period. (In
the Upper Peninsula, it would result when four to eight inches of
snow is anticipated in that same time period.)
- Wind chill advisories are issued when wind
chill temperatures are currently or are forecast to range from 30
to 50 degrees below zero.
- Wind chill warnings are issued when wind chill
temperatures are currently or expected to fall 50 degrees below
zero.
What
is wind chill?
Wind chill is the perceived temperature resulting
from the effect of wind, in combination with cold air, which
increases the rate of heat loss from the human body.
What is
frostbite and what can you do to treat it?
Frostbite is damage to body tissue caused by that tissue being
frozen. Frostbite causes a loss of feeling and a white or pale
appearance in extremities, such as fingers, toes, ear lobes, or the
tip of the nose. Frostbite varies in severity from frostnip to
deep frostbite, depending on the length of exposure, temperature to
which the skin is exposed and wind speed. For frostnip, place
firm, steady pressure from a warm hand against the area. Also,
blow on the surface holding the frostnipped area against the body.
Do not rub the area, apply snow or plunge it into very hot or cold
water. Victims of severe frostbite must receive prompt
medical attention.
What is
hypothermia and what are the warning signs?
Hypothermia occurs when the body temperature drops to 95 degrees
F. or lower. It can develop whenever body heat loss exceeds
heat gain. Hypothermia is not exclusive to winter, it can
occur during the wind and rain of spring and summer.
Hypothermia is often mistaken for fatigue, irritability, or
dehydration, it may include some of these signs: abnormal
decision making; improper response to cold; apathy, lethargy;
decreased cooperation; slurred speech; disorientation; shivering;
stumbling, clumsiness; and muscle stiffness progressing to inability
to move.
How do you treat
hypothermia?
Mild to moderate hypothermia (body temperature is greater than 90
degrees F., conscious, shivering, able to walk)
- Prevent further heat loss. Dry, remove from cold and
insulate
- Rewarm by warming the body core first. Rehydrate with
hot drinks and food.
Severe hypothermia (body temperature is less than 90 degrees F.,
unconscious, not shivering)
- Evacuate to rewarm
- Prevent further heat loss
- Handle gently
Tide
Tables
National
Weather Service
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