Learning to recognize when severe weather is on its way could save your day…or your life. Awareness will help you plan what you'll do so you can be ready to act when it approaches. Your safety, and the safety of those in your care, are up to you.
Planning ahead can make all the difference when seconds count.
Some things that should be done well in advance are similar for several types of weather emergencies, such as making an emergency supply kit and developing emergency actions.
Why worry about thunderstorms?
Lightning causes an average of 55-60 fatalities and 400 injuries each year, most of them in males under age 40. Outside, there is no safe place to be during a thunderstorm, because there will be lightning. Note that many wildfires in the western United States and Alaska are ignited by lightning.
You should worry about tornadoes
Earth's fiercest winds are found in the heart of strong tornados. They can destroy houses, hurl cars hundreds of feet, and take the life of anyone caught in their path. Each year, hundreds of tornadoes strike the United States, more than in any other nation in the world.
They cause an average of 60-65 fatalities, 1,500 injuries each year, and can produce wind speeds in excess of 200 mph. They can be a mile wide and stay on the ground for over 50 miles.
Seek shelter immediately. Never shelter under an overpass.
Straight-line winds are dangerous
They can exceed 125 mph and cause destruction equal to some tornadoes. They're extremely dangerous to aviation. They cause trees to be uprooted, and can knock you down if you're on foot. Stay inside your home.
Flash floods are deadly
They are the number one cause of deaths associated with cloudburst rains and thunderstorms, causing 90 fatalities each year. Many are people in cars.
Never drive over a flooded road or bridge. Back up and take a different route. Just two feet of moving water can sweep a car away.
If your vehicle is surrounded by water, abandon it immediately and seek higher ground.
