No Title 2289
Supplement to “Storm Spotters”
STAYING SAFE IN SEVERE WEATHER
Learn more about the Christian County Weather Spotter Network on their Web site at www.ccweather.org.
Want to know what it takes to become a spotter? The Christian County Weather Spotters provides information and links to everything you need to know.
Click on the “Resources” tab to download Basic or Advanced Spotters’ Field Guides, and a Cloud Chart published by the Department of Commerce, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Weather Service. The page also lists links to several free online weather courses and a library of links to weather photos.
You’ll find Kentucky severe weather photos as well as various Kentucky radars and maps on the site as well.
The “Space & Science” tab provides the auroral activity level, indicating when auroras can be seen in Kentucky, rainfall estimates, and earthquake activity maps by the U.S. Geological Survey.
STAYING SAFE IN SEVERE WEATHER
Make sure your family stays safe and prepared in the event of severe weather. Implement these tips from members of the Christian County Weather Spotters as well as the Preparedness Guide published by the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
1. Have a NOAA Weather Radio in your home to alert your family in the event of dangerous weather conditions.
2. Never park under a highway or railroad overpass during a severe thunderstorm or tornado threat. Doing so blocks access for emergency management vehicles and, in the event of a tornado, underpasses act as a wind tunnel, increasing the wind’s suction—making them one of the more dangerous places to be.
3. Don’t take lightning lightly. As the saying goes, “When thunder roars, go indoors.” Don’t assume that if it’s not raining you’re safe from a lightning strike. In truth, lightning often strikes more than three miles from the thunderstorm, far outside the rain or thunderstorm clouds. For more lightning myths, go online to www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov
and click on the “Brochures, Links” tab to find the Lightning Myths brochure to download a PDF.
4. Never attempt to drive through standing water: “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.”
5. Assemble a disaster preparedness kit for your home and/or car to include, at minimum, the following:
• Water: three gallons for each person
• Food: a three-day supply
• Items for infants: formula, diapers, etc.
• Medications
• Kitchen tools: manual can opener; mess kits or disposable plates and cups; re-sealable plastic bags
• Flashlights and batteries
• Portable, battery-powered radio or TV
• First-aid kit
• Blankets or sleeping bags for each person
• Change of clothing and shoes for each person
• Waterproof matches, candles
• Sanitation and hygiene items
6. In the event of a tornado, get to an underground shelter, basement, or small, windowless interior room on the lowest level of a sturdy building (i.e., bathroom or closet). Abandon mobile homes and get to the nearest sturdy building if time allows. If you’re caught in a car in the path of a tornado, do one of the following:
• Pull over and park. Stay in the car with your seatbelt on. Put your head below the level of the windows and cover up with a blanket or jacket if possible.
• Or, if you can safely get lower than the level of the roadway (i.e., in a ditch), exit the car and lie down in that area, covering your face with your hands.
To download the entire publication, go to www.nws.noaa.gov and search for the PDF Nature’s Most Violet Storms for the link to download a PDF.
To read the Kentucky Living April 2010 feature that goes along with this supplement, go to Storm Spotters.
