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When severe weather strikes, time is of the essence when it comes to your safety. Waiting until the last minute to decide what to do could be a costly mistake.
There are four key points that every person, family, business, or place where people gather, needs to follow to stay safe during hazardous weather:
PLAN, PRACTICE, MONITOR, ACT.
Planning is the first step. Have a place to take shelter from threatening weather. Think about the various locations you may be when storms strike, and then plan where you would take refuge.
Once designated shelters have been selected, hold frequent drills to practice. Everyone in the home or building needs to know where to seek shelter.
When thunderstorms are forecast, make sure that someone is a designated weather watcher. Monitoring the weather is, perhaps, the most important step in a successful hazardous weather plan. The use of a weather radio, computer, television, AM/FM radio, cell phone, pager, and outdoor warning siren are all ways that someone can monitor the weather. Use multiple sources to verify the threat - don't just rely on one.
The final step is to act. When a warning is issued for your area, or if you see threatening weather approaching, take action and seek safe shelter immediately.
Here are some critical definitions to keep in mind:
| TORNADO WATCH |
Conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes in and close to the watch area. Watches cover large areas of one or more states. Watches are usually in effect for several hours, with 6 hours being the most common.
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| TORNADO WARNING |
A tornado is indicated by radar, or has been sighted by storm spotters. The warning will include where the tornado is and what towns will be in its path. Tornado warnings affect all or portions of specific counties, and are generally in effect for about 45 minutes or less.
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| SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH |
Conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. Watches cover large areas of one or more states. Watches are usually in effect for several hours, with 6 hours being the most common.
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| SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING |
Issued when a thunderstorm is currently producing, or is expected to produce, hail 3/4 of an inch or larger in diameter, and/or winds which equal or exceed 58 mph. Severe thunderstorms can result in the loss of life and/or property. Information in this warning includes: where the storm is, what towns will be affected, and the primary threat associated with the storm. Severe thunderstorm warnings are issued for individual counties or portions of counties, and are generally in effect for around an hour.
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| FLOOD WATCH |
Indicates that flash flooding is possible in and close to the watch area. Those in the affected area are urged to be ready to take quick action if a flash flood warning is issued or flooding is observed.
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| FLASH FLOOD WARNING |
Signifies a dangerous situation where rapid flooding of small rivers, streams, creaks, or urban areas are imminent or already occurring. Very heavy rain that falls in a short time period can lead to flash flooding, depending on local terrain, ground cover, degree of urbanization, degree of man-made changes to river banks, and initial ground or river conditions. Flash flood warnings are generally in effect for 3 to 6 hours.
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| URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY |
Alerts the public to flooding which is generally only an inconvenience and does not pose a threat to life and/or property. Issued when heavy rain will cause flooding of streets and low-lying places in urban areas, or if small rural or urban streams are expected to reach or exceed bankfull.
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