Here are some definitions and guidelines to follow to help
keep you and
your family safe:
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is issued when conditions are favorable
for the development of severe thunderstorms, people located in
and
around the watch area should keep an eye to the sky and listen
to
their NOAA weather radio all hazards or tune to local broadcast
media for further weather information. The watch is intended to give
you time to prepare, time to review safety
rules.
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued when a severe thunderstorm
has been detected by national weather service doppler radar or a
reliable
report has been received. A warning is usually issued for
portions of
one or two counties, for an hour or less. If the
warning includes your
neighborhood or work place, you should take
immediate action to protect
your life and the lives of others.
Severe thunderstorms can produce
large hail and damaging winds.
Tornadoes can and occasionally
do accompany severe thunderstorms.
Treat this warning the same
as you would a tornado warning by taking
the proper safety precautions.
The best defense against thunderstorms is to stay inside a sturdy
building
or shelter that can protect you from
deadly lightning, large hail, damaging
winds, flooding rain and
tornadoes. Fortunately, thunderstorms typically do
not last
very long and will most often pass by your location in less than one
hour. Once in a shelter, stay away from windows and avoid electrical
equipment and plumbing. Remember to bring pets inside.
If there is
time, secure loose objects outside as these objects often become
dangerous flying debris in high winds.
Postpone outdoor activities until the storms have passed. If caught
outside, take shelter in a sturdy enclosed building or hard top
automobile
immediately. Avoid open spaces, isolated objects, high
ground and
metallic objects. Get out of boats and away from bodies of water.
Remember, if you can hear thunder, you are close enough
to the
storm to be struck by lightning.
If a tornado is spotted, act quickly and move to the lowest level
basement of
your shelter, putting as many walls between yourself
and the outside as
possible.
Review your safety plan now and be prepared when severe weather
threatens your
area!
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