Severe Weather Awareness

Severe Weather Awareness
**Although this article refers to Colorado, the Safety Rules & Information pertain to everyone everywhere!! Storms may be beautiful in their own way but remember they can also be dangerous. Be smart. Stay safe!!** Severe Weather Awareness SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN REVIEW... SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN COLORADO CONCLUDES TODAY. DURING THE PAST WEEK WE HAVE PRESENTED INFORMATION AND SAFETY RULES FOR TORNADOES, LIGHTNING, FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS, STRAIGHT-LINE THUNDERSTORM WINDS, HAIL, AND THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WARNING PROGRAM. WE WILL NOW REVIEW SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND SAFETY RULES. BE WEATHERWISE BY STAYING INFORMED ON THE EXPECTED WEATHER IN YOUR AREA. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS TYPICALLY AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER MANY HOURS OR EVEN DAYS BEFORE ANY SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES OR WARNINGS ARE ISSUED...PROVIDING FORECAST PRODUCTS TO HEIGHTEN YOUR AWARENESS. A HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS ISSUED DAILY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH EXPECTED THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. A WATCH IS ISSUED WHEN CONDITIONS FORSEVERE WEATHER OR FLOODING BECOME FAVORABLE. IN CONTRAST...A WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN LIFE THREATENING CONDITIONS ARE OCCURRING OR IMMINENT. TORNADOES... THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM TORNADOES IS TO HAVE A PLAN OF ACTION. THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE IF A TORNADO APPROACHES IS INSIDE A WELL BUILT STRUCTURE IN A BASEMENT OR SAFE ROOM...OR IN AN UNDERGROUND STORM SHELTER. IF NONE OF THESE OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE...MOVE TO A HALLWAY OR A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR...USUALLY THIS IS A CLOSET OR BATHROOM. REMEMBER...THE GREATEST RISK OF INJURY FROM TORNADOES IS FROM FLYING DEBRIS. COVER YOURSELF WITH BLANKETS OR GET UNDER A HEAVY PIECE OF FURNITURE. MOBILE HOMES...EVEN THOSE TIED DOWN...OFFER LITTLE PROTECTION FROM TORNADOES. IF A TORNADO APPROACHES...YOU SHOULD LEAVE A MOBILE HOME AND SEEK SAFETY IN A NEARBY BUILDING OR STORM SHELTER. IF YOU ARE DRIVING IN OPEN COUNTRY AND SEE A TORNADO...THE BEST THING TO DO IS SIMPLY DRIVE AWAY FROM THE TORNADO PATH. DO NOT TAKE SHELTER BENEATH A HIGHWAY OVERPASS. WIND SPEEDS MAY ACTUALLY BE HIGHER IN THESE AREAS AND ARE OFTEN COLLECTION POINTS FOR DEBRIS. IF YOU ARE IN AN AUTOMOBILE AND A TORNADOIS FAST APPROACHING WHERE SECONDS COUNT...ABANDON YOUR VEHICLE...LIE FACE DOWN IN A DITCH AWAY FROM YOUR VEHICLE...AND COVER YOUR HEAD. AS A LAST RESORT...IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE AND CANNOT SEEK SHELTER INSIDE A STURDY STRUCTURE...CRAWL INTO A CULVERT OR LIE DOWN IN A NARROW DITCH OR RAVINE AND COVER YOUR HEAD. LIGHTNING... IN THE LAST TWO DECADES...LIGHTNING HAS KILLED AND INJURED MORE PEOPLE IN COLORADO THAN ANY OTHER THUNDERSTORM HAZARD. THE BEST DEFENSE AGAINST A LIGHTNING STRIKE IS TO PLAN AHEAD AND AVOID BEING CAUGHT WHERE YOU MIGHT BE VULNERABLE. CHECK THE WEATHER FORECASTS PRIOR TO VENTURING OUT...ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE HEADING INTO THE MOUNTAINS. PLAN YOUR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES EARLY IN THE DAY BEFORE THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU BEGIN TO SEEK SHELTER IF THE TIME BETWEEN A LIGHTNING FLASH AND THE RUMBLE OF THUNDER IS 30 SECONDS OR LESS. YOU SHOULD NOT RESUME OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES UNTIL 30 MINUTES AFTER THE LAST AUDIBLE THUNDER. STAY OFF CORDED TELEPHONES...AWAY FROM ELECTRICAL DEVICES...AND AWAY FROM PLUMBING. ALSO GET OUT OF SHOWER STALLS...BATH TUBS...SWIMMING POOLS AND LAKES WHEN LIGHTNING IS NEARBY. IF THUNDERSTORMS THREATEN...SEEK SHELTER IN A BUILDING OR IN AN ENCLOSED METAL ROOF VEHICLE...MAKING SURE ALL WINDOWS ARE CLOSED. NEVER SEEK SHELTER UNDER AN ISOLATED TREE OR A SMALL GROUP OF TREES. IF IN A HEAVILY FORESTED AREA...SEEK SHELTER IN A LOW SPOT AND AWAY FROM THE TALLER TREES. HOWEVER... AVOID SEEKING SHELTER IN AREAS WHICH COULD BE PRONE TO FLASH FLOODING. IF CAUGHT OUT IN THE OPEN...DO NOT LIE FLAT ON THE GROUND. INSTEAD...SQUAT LOW TO THE GROUND...CLASP YOUR HANDS AROUND YOUR KNEES AND PUT YOUR CHIN TO YOUR CHEST...MAKING YOURSELF THE SMALLEST TARGET POSSIBLE AND MINIMIZING CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS... WHEN FLOODING OR FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE...YOU SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AND BE READY TO EVACUATE TO HIGHER GROUND OR CLIMB TO SAFETY AT A MOMENTS NOTICE. FLASH FLOODS OFTEN OCCUR SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. YOU NEED TO FOLLOW SOME BASIC FLASH FLOOD SAFETY RULES... DO NOT CAMP OR PARK YOUR VEHICLE ALONG STREAMS AND WASHES...PARTICULARLY DURING THREATENING CONDITIONS. IF YOU ARE NEAR A RIVER...BE AWARE OF WATER LEVELS AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IF RIVER LEVELS RISE. DO NOT ENTER AREAS THAT ARE ALREADY FLOODED. DO NOT TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM ON FOOT WHEN THE WATER IS AT OR ABOVE YOUR KNEES. IF WALKING OR FISHING ALONG A RIVER...BE AWARE THAT EROSION FROM SWIFT RUNNING WATER CAN CAUSE RIVER BANKS TO COLLAPSE. NEVER LET YOUR CHILDREN PLAY AROUND HIGH WATER...STORM DRAINS...VIADUCTS OR ARROYOS. BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE FLOOD DANGERS. NEARLY HALF OF ALL FLASH FLOOD FATALITIES ARE AUTO RELATED. WHILE DRIVING YOUR AUTOMOBILE...LOOK OUT FOR FLOODING AT HIGHWAY DIPS...BRIDGES AND LOW AREAS. TWO FEET OF WATER WILL CARRY AWAY MOST VEHICLES. NEVER ATTEMPT TO DRIVE ACROSS A FLOODED ROAD. IF THE VEHICLE STALLS...LEAVE IT IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK HIGHER GROUND. RISING WATER MAY ENGULF THE VEHICLE AND SWEEP IT AWAY. STRONG STRAIGHT LINE WINDS... STRAIGHT LINE WINDS FROM THUNDERSTORMS CAN BECOME QUITE STRONG...EVEN REACHING SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 100 MPH IN EXTREME CASES. WHEN THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH...HIGH WINDS CAN SUDDENLY DEVELOP...CAUSING THINGS ON THE GROUND TO BECOME SWIFT MOVING AIRBORNE MISSILES WITH A POTENTIAL FORCE TO INJURE OR KILL. AS WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM...SEEK SHELTER BEFORE THE STORM ARRIVES. HAIL... LARGE HAIL CAN POSE A DANGER TO ANIMALS AND PEOPLE. HAIL ALSO PRODUCES CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO CROPS AND PERSONAL PROPERTY EACH YEAR IN COLORADO. AGAIN...GET INDOORS BEFORE THUNDERSTORMS ARRIVE. A FALL OF SMALL HAIL CAN SUDDENLY CHANGE TO A FALL OF VERY LARGE ICE MISSILES WHICH CAN INJURE OR KILL. MAKE EFFORTS TO PROTECT PERSONAL PROPERTY BEFORE THUNDERSTORMS THREATEN. WHEN THUNDERSTORMS THREATEN...TUNE TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO... OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATIONS. DURING THREATENING WEATHER DAYS...PLAN THE ACTIONS YOU WOULD TAKE IF THE WEATHER WERE TO BECOME DANGEROUS. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WISHES YOU A SAFE SEVERE WEATHER SEASON. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOAA's National Weather Service Pueblo, CO Weather Forecast Office 3 Eaton Way Pueblo, CO 81001-7326 (719) 948-9429 Page Author: PUB Webmaster Web Master's E-mail: w-pub.webmaster@noaa.gov Page last modified: April 10th 2006 7:34 PM http://www.crh.noaa.gov/pub/?n=/severe_wrap.php

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