Severe weather preparedness week
The first week of March is Severe Weather Preparedness week for Missouri and Kansas. During this time the National Weather Service pushes out basic safety tips and facts focused on thunderstorm-related hazards like lightning, flooding, tornadoes, damaging winds, and large hail. While severe weather can strike during any time of the year, thunderstorm activity inevitably becomes more frequent as temperatures warm. Having a plan in place prior to threats materializing makes it much easier to act accordingly, especially when tensions are high and minutes or even seconds count.
An equally important element of severe weather preparedness is having a way to receive weather alerts, including watches and warnings. Aside from having apps on your smartphone like the KQ2 Stormtracker Weather App, it’s a good idea to also have a battery powered weather radio as a failsafe should power outages develop or cell signal becomes an issue.
Tornadoes are arguably the most infamous yet least common severe weather hazard. In the U.S. less than 1% of all thunderstorms go on to produce tornadoes. That said, these intimidating cyclones can contain wind speeds ranging from 65 mph to over 200 mph. The safest place to be when a tornado strikes is below ground in a storm cellar or basement. If that’s not an option, the next best place to be is near the center of a permanent structure, at its lowest level, away from windows, with as many walls between you and the outside as possible. Wherever you are, it’s a good idea to get low to the ground, and protect your head and body with barriers like a helmet, pillows, or a mattress.
Damaging straight-line winds and large hail are more common hazards associated with severe thunderstorms: those containing winds at or above 58 mph and or hail of quarter size or larger. High-end severe thunderstorms can contain winds of over 80 mph, and hail larger than golfballs. Being indoors and away from windows is of course necessary in the throes of any severe thunderstorm. In the case of a high-end severe thunderstorm, manufactured homes or campers are not great options for taking shelter and should be the last choice if a permanent structure is not available.
Flooding is one of the most deadly thunderstorm related hazards, particularly flash flooding which can occur in just a few hours or even a matter of minutes. Most flood deaths are automobile related. Only 1 foot of swiftly moving water can wash a car off the roadway. The best rule of thumb here is simple: turn around, don’t drown! It’s also important to have an exit strategy to find higher ground if you live or spend time in a flood prone area, or anywhere near a body of water regardless of flood frequency or recent flood history.
Lightning is by far the most common thunderstorm related hazard, striking U.S. soil about 25 million times a year. These bolts can be hotter than the surface of the sun, and essentially strike at random. When thunder roars, go indoors! If you are close enough to a storm to hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.
