SEVERE WEATHER INFORMATION
TORNADO WATCH:
A Tornado/Severe Thunderstorm Watch is issued when conditions could exist for severe weather
to occur. Keep children under close supervision. Keep an eye on the sky and listen to weather reports for further information and warnings.
TORNADO WARNING:
A Tornado/Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued by the local National Weather Service Office
whenever a Tornado or severe thunderstorm has actually been sighted or is strongly indicated by radar. You must act immediately when you first hear the warning. If the severe weather is reported near you,
seek shelter immediately. If not, keep a constant lookout for severe weather and stay near shelter.
OTHER NATURAL DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH THUNDERSTORMS
FLASH FLOODING of streams or tributaries can occur within minutes to a few hours after heavy rainfall. Flash floods are usually triggered by heavy slow-moving thunderstorms or by a series of storms that move across (or along) the same drainage basin. If caught in a flash flood situation, don't try to drive through flooded areas. Abandon your vehicle if water begins to rise over the road and head for higher ground immediately.
LIGHTING is another potential killer associated with thunderstorms. Most lighting deaths are singular in nature as opposed to the multiple deaths often caused by tornadoes or floods. When a thunderstorm threatens, get inside a home or large building as quickly as you can.
STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS are responsible for most thunderstorm wind damage and the winds can exceed 100 mph.
LARGE HAIL causes nearly $1 billion in damage to property and crops annually.
WHAT IF YOU ARE A VICTIM?
Your local Emergency Management Office will work with you and your community, as well as the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and other volunteer groups. These organizations will work with state and federal relief agencies to assist in your community's recovery.
WHAT IF A TORNADO TOUCHES DOWN IN A NEARBY AREA?
Do not go to the tornado scene. The area must be kept clear and secure for the victims and for emergency personnel
TORNADOES CAN STRIKE ANYWHERE, ANYTIME AND MORE THAN ONCE.
WHERE CAN I TAKE SHELTER IF I AM.
IN A HOME: A basement offers the greatest safety. Seek shelter under sturdy furniture if possible. In homes without basements take cover in the center of the house on the lowest floor in a small room such as a closet or bathroom.
IN A MOBILE HOME: During warnings, go to a prearranged substantial shelter.
DRIVING A VEHICLE: Get out of the vehicle into a basement, ditch or ravine --- away from the vehicle.
AT WORK/SCHOOL: Follow advance plans to move to interior hallways or small rooms on the lowest floor. Avoid areas with glass and wide, freespan roofs. (Schools, factories, and office buildings should designate someone to look out for severe weather and initiate an alarm).
IN OPEN COUNTRY: Get into a sturdy building if possible, or lie flat in a nearby ditch or depression and hold onto something on the ground if possible.