Understanding Thunderstorm Risks
Thunderstorms pose risks from lightning, flooding or tornadoes
From lightning:
people at risk are those who are outdoors
(especially under or near tall trees, in or on water, or on or near hilltops.)
From flooding:
people who are in automobiles when flash flooding
occurs near them are at risk.
From tornadoes:
the greatest risk is for those people who
are in mobile homes and automobiles.
What to listen for:
Severe Thunderstorm Watch:
tells you when and where severe
thunderstorms are more likely to occur. Watch the sky and stay tuned to know
when warnings are issued. Watches are intended to heighten public awareness
and should not be confused with warnings.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning:
issued when severe weather has
been reported by spotters or indicated by radar. Warnings indicate imminent
danger to life and property to those in the path of the storm.
HOW DOES NSSL CONTRIBUTE?
NSSL staff promotes weather safety at local malls through educational displays at mall events and helping the public program their NOAA Weather Radios with special codes that allow the weather alarm to be activated when watches and warnings are issued for the counties in their immediate area.
NSEA, the NSSL/CIMMS/SPC employee association, has donated and delivered many NOAA Weather Radios to Norman-area schools.
OK-WARN alphanumeric pagers for the hearing-impaired – OK-WARN is a program developed by one of NSSL's scientists, who is also deaf. After conducting a survey following the tornado outbreak on May 3, 1999, he found that 81% of deaf and hard-of-hearing people have experienced fear about being unprepared for weather emergencies. OK-WARN alerts users to hazardous weather using alphanumeric pagers. Individuals who sign up for OK-WARN will receive forecasts, watches and warnings from NOAA's NWS local forecast offices. Information about tornadoes, thunderstorms, winter storms, flash floods, river floods and high winds are included.
Severe Thunderstorm Climatology – Research at NSSL has developed graphs and maps that estimate the likelihood of severe weather hazards in the United States. Graphs show the days of highest likelihood of severe weather at a particular point, animated loops show the severe weather cycle across the U.S., and maps show information about severe weather hazards. This research gives all of us a better understanding of where and when severe weather occurs.