Severe Weather Awareness Week begins today and the spring weather has certainly arrived. We have experienced record-setting warmth very early in the season and the above-average temperatures look to linger through a good part of this week.
While it's important to stay safe and prepared all year long, our weather pattern tends to be more active with dangerous weather more likely this time of year.
This week will be critical in reviewing your family's safety plan, stocking up on supplies in your safe place and reminding yourself and others what to do when a severe storm approaches. Each day this week will be dedicated to a different topic regarding severe weather; here's a breakdown:
- Monday - What is a severe thunderstorm? And what is the difference between a watch and warning?
- Tuesday - Lightning safety: How does lightning form?
- Wednesday - Tornado safety: How do tornadoes form? The statewide tornado drill happens on this day at 10 a.m.
- Thursday - How does hail form and how does this impact the size of the hailstone?
- Friday - Flooding and high water safety
Let's start with a refresher of some terms we should all know this spring season - a watch vs. a warning.
A severe thunderstorm OR tornado watch is issued when conditions are favorable or possible for bad weather to develop.
A watch is usually issued a couple of hours before any storm develops. This could be for winds exceeding 58 mph, hail at or larger than 1" in diameter, and/or a possible tornado developing.
A warning is issued when the bad weather has formed, and is happening and imminent. This is when you seek shelter! The warning is either issued from a storm spotter on the ground or from analysis of the radar.
Be sure you have multiple ways of receiving severe weather alerts this season. Those could include:
- Emergency notifications on phone from the Wireless Emergency Alerts
- KSHB 41 app
- Social media notifications
- Outdoor tornado sirens
- NOAA Weather Radio
- From the TV or radio
It's important to keep yourself updated with changing weather conditions this season by following our social media accounts and weather blog. Always remember to keep you phone charged and on loud so you are alerted and receive a notification right away. We will always have you covered when bad weather strikes.
