Thunderstorms & Lightning

Lightning storm at night
All thunderstorms are dangerous. Every thunderstorm produces lightning. While lightning fatalities have decreased over the past 30 years, lightning continues to be one of the top three storm-related killers in the United States. On average in the U.S., lightning kills 51 people and injures hundreds more. Although most lightning victims survive, people struck by lightning often report a variety of long term, debilitating symptoms.
Other associated dangers of thunderstorms include tornadoes, strong winds, hail and flash flooding. Flash flooding is responsible for more fatalities – more than 140 annually – than any other thunderstorm-associated hazard. Dry thunderstorms that do not produce rain that reaches the ground are most prevalent in the western United States. Falling raindrops evaporate, but lightning can still reach the ground and can start wildfires.

To prepare for a thunderstorm, you should do the following:

To begin preparing, you should build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan.
Remove dead or rotting trees and branches that could fall and cause injury or damage during a severe thunderstorm.
Postpone outdoor activities.
Secure outdoor objects that could blow away or cause damage.
Get inside a home, building, or hard top automobile (not a convertible). Although you may be injured if lightning strikes your car, you are much safer inside a vehicle than outside.
Remember, rubber-soled shoes and rubber tires provide NO protection from lightning. However, the steel frame of a hard-topped vehicle provides increased protection if you are not touching metal.
Shutter windows and secure outside doors. If shutters are not available, close window blinds, shades or curtains.
Unplug any electronic equipment well before the storm arrives.
During Thunderstorms and Lightning

If thunderstorm and lightning are occurring in your area, you should:

Use your battery-operated NOAA Weather Radio for updates from local officials.
Avoid contact with corded phones and devices including those plugged into electric for recharging. Cordless and wireless phones not connected to wall outlets are OK to use.
Avoid contact with electrical equipment or cords. Unplug appliances and other electrical items such as computers and turn off air conditioners. Power surges from lightning can cause serious damage.
Avoid contact with plumbing. Do not wash your hands, do not take a shower, do not wash dishes, and do not do laundry. Plumbing and bathroom fixtures can conduct electricity.
Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches.
Do not lie on concrete floors and do not lean against concrete walls.
Avoid natural lightning rods such as a tall, isolated tree in an open area.
Avoid hilltops, open fields, the beach or a boat on the water.
Take shelter in a sturdy building. Avoid isolated sheds or other small structures in open areas.
Avoid contact with anything metal—tractors, farm equipment, motorcycles, golf carts, golf clubs, and bicycles.
If you are driving, try to safely exit the roadway and park. Stay in the vehicle and turn on the emergency flashers until the heavy rain ends. Avoid touching metal or other surfaces that conduct electricity in and outside the vehicle.

tornadoes are clearly visible, while rain or nearby low-hanging clouds obscure others. Occasionally, tornadoes develop so rapidly that little, if any, advance warning is possible. Before a tornado hits, the wind may die down and the air may become very still. A cloud of debris can mark the location of a tornado even if a funnel is not visible. Tornadoes generally occur near the trailing edge of a thunderstorm. It is not uncommon to see clear, sunlit skies behind a tornado.

Before A Tornado

To begin preparing, you should build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan.
Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or to commercial radio or television newscasts for the latest information. In any emergency, always listen to the instructions given by local emergency management officials.
Be alert to changing weather conditions. Look for approaching storms.
Look for the following danger signs:

Dark, often greenish sky
Large hail
A large, dark, low-lying cloud (particularly if rotating)
Loud roar, similar to a freight train.

If you see approaching storms or any of the danger signs, be prepared to take shelter immediately.
Tornadoes are nature’s most violent storms. Spawned from powerful thunderstorms, tornadoes can cause fatalities and devastate a neighborhood in seconds. A tornado appears as a rotating, funnel-shaped cloud that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground with whirling winds that can reach 300 miles per hour. Damage paths can be in excess of one mile wide and 50 miles long. Every state is at some risk from this hazard. Some

Quick facts you should know about tornadoes:

They may strike quickly, with little or no warning.
They may appear nearly transparent until dust and debris are picked up or a cloud forms in the funnel.
The average tornado moves Southwest to Northeast, but tornadoes have been known to move in any direction.
The average forward speed of a tornado is 30 mph, but may vary from stationary to 70 mph.
Tornadoes can accompany tropical storms and hurricanes as they move onto land.
Waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water.
Tornadoes are most frequently reported east of the Rocky Mountains during spring and summer months.
Peak tornado season in the southern states is March through May; in the northern states, it is late spring through early summer.
Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 3 pm and 9 pm, but can occur at any time.

During A Tornado:

If you are under a tornado warning, seek shelter immediately! Most injuries associated with high winds are from flying debris, so remember to protect your head.
If you are in a structure (e.g. residence, small building, school, nursing home, hospital, factory, shopping center, high-rise building):
Go to a pre-designated area such as a safe room, basement, storm cellar, or the lowest building level. If there is no basement, go to the center of a small interior room on the lowest level (closet, interior hallway) away from corners, windows, doors, and outside walls. Put as many walls as possible between you and the outside. Get under a sturdy table and use your arms to protect your head and neck.
In a high-rise building, go to a small interior room or hallway on the lowest floor possible.
Put on sturdy shoes.
Do not open windows.
A manufactured home or office:
Get out immediately and go to a pre-identified location such as the lowest floor of a sturdy, nearby building or a storm shelter. Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes.
The outside with no shelter:
If you are not in a sturdy building, there is no single research-based recommendation for what last-resort action to take because many factors can affect your decision. Possible actions include:
Immediately get into a vehicle, buckle your seat belt and try to drive to the closest sturdy shelter. If your vehicle is hit by flying debris while you are driving, pull over and park.
Take cover in a stationary vehicle. Put the seat belt on and cover your head with your arms and a blanket, coat or other cushion if possible.
Lie in an area noticeably lower than the level of the roadway and cover your head with your arms and a blanket, coat or other cushion if possible.
In all situations:
Do not get under an overpass or bridge. You are safer in a low, flat location.
Never try to outrun a tornado in urban or congested areas in a car or truck. Instead, leave the vehicle immediately for safe shelter.
Watch out for flying debris. Flying debris from tornadoes causes most fatalities and injuries.

After A Tornado:

Listen to local officials for updates and instructions.
Check-in with family and friends by texting or using social media.
Watch out for debris and downed power lines.
If you are trapped, do not move about or kick up dust. Tap on a pipe or wall or use a whistle, if you have one, so that rescuers can locate you.
Stay out of damaged buildings and homes until local authorities indicate it is safe.
Photograph the damage to your property in order to assist in filing an insurance claim.

Do what you can to prevent further damage to your property, (e.g., putting a tarp on a damaged roof), as insurance may not cover additional damage that occurs after the storm.
If your home is without power, use flashlights or battery-powered lanterns rather than candles to prevent accidental fires.

What to do in case of flood?

Steps to Take:

Move immediately to higher ground or stay on high ground.
Evacuate if directed
Avoid walking or driving through flood waters. Turn Around, Don’t Drown! Just 6 inches of moving water can knock you down and 2 feet of water can sweep your vehicle away.

Before a Flood (when flooding is forecast):

Be alert.
Monitor your surroundings.
Monitor NOAA Weather Radio, local television and radio stations, or go to www.weather.gov.
If a flash flood warning is issued for your area: Climb to safety immediately.
Flash floods develop quickly. Do not wait until you see rising water.
Get out of low areas subject to flooding.
If driving, do not drive through flooded roadways!
Assemble disaster supplies:
Drinking water – Fill clean containers.
Food that requires no refrigeration or cooking.
Cash.
Medications and first aid supplies.
Clothing, toiletries.
Battery-powered radio.
Flashlights.
Extra batteries.
Important documents: insurance papers, medical records, bank account numbers.
Be prepared to evacuate.
Identify places to go.
Identify alternative travel routes that are not prone to flooding.
Plan what to do with your pets.
Fill your car’s gas tank.
If told to leave, do so quickly.
Review your Family Disaster Plan.
Discuss flood plans with your family.
Decide where you will meet if separated.
Designate a contact person who can be reached if family members get separated. Make sure every family member has the contact information.
Protect your property.
Move valuables and furniture to higher levels.
Move hazardous materials (such as paint, oil, pesticides, and cleaning supplies) to higher locations.
Disconnect electrical appliances. Do not touch them if you are wet or standing in water.
Bring outside possessions indoors or tie them down securely. This includes lawn furniture, garbage cans, and other movable objects.
Seal vents to basements to prevent flooding.

During a Flood:

Be alert.
Monitor your surroundings.
Monitor NOAA Weather Radio, local television and radio stations, or go to www.weather.gov.
Don’t drive unless you have to.
If you must drive, travel with care.
Make sure your vehicle has enough fuel.
Follow recommended routes. DO NOT sightsee.
Avoid disaster areas. Your presence might hamper rescue or other emergency operations and put you at further risk.
Watch for washed out roads, earth slides, and downed trees or power lines.
Be especially cautious at night, when it is harder to recognize flood dangers.
If the vehicle stalls, abandon it.
If water rises around your car, leave the vehicle immediately. Climb to higher ground as quickly as possible.
NEVER drive through flooded roadways. STOP! Turn Around Don’t Drown.
The roadbed may be washed out.
You can lose control of your vehicle in only a few inches of water.
Your car may float. Vehicles can be swept away by less than 2 feet of water.
Do not drive around a barricade. Turn around and go another way!
Get to high ground – Climb to safety!
Get out of low areas that may be subject to flooding.
Avoid already-flooded areas and do not attempt to cross flowing water.
Stay away from power lines and electrical wires.
Evacuate immediately, if you think you are at risk or are advised to do so!
Act quickly. Save yourself, not your belongings.
Move to a safe area before access is cut off by rising water.
Families should use only one vehicle to avoid getting separated and reduce traffic jams.
Shut off water, gas, and electrical services before leaving.
Secure your home: lock all doors and windows.
If directed to a specific location, go there.
Never try to walk or swim through flowing water.
If flowing water is above your ankles, STOP! Turn around and go another way.
If it is moving swiftly, water 6 inches deep can knock you off your feet.
Be aware that people have been swept away wading through flood waters.
NEVER allow children to play around high water, storm drains, creeks, or rivers.
Shut off the electricity at the circuit breakers.
If someone falls in or is trapped in flood water:
Do not go after the victim!
Use a floatation device. If possible throw the victim something to help them float, such as a spare tire, large ball, or foam ice chest.
Call 911. Call for assistance and give the correct location information.

After a Flood:

Wait until it is safe to return.
Monitor NOAA Weather Radio or local television and radio stations.
Do not return to flooded areas until authorities indicate it is safe to do so.
Do not visit disaster areas following a flood. Your presence may hamper urgent emergency response and rescue operations.
Travel with care.
Follow recommended routes. DO NOT sightsee.
Watch for washed out roads, earth slides, and downed trees or power lines.
Stay away from downed power lines.
If a building was flooded, check for safety before entering.
Do not enter a building if it is still flooded or surrounded by floodwater.
Check for structural damage. Inspect foundations for cracks or other damage.
Turn off any outside gas lines at the meter tank.
Do not enter a building that has flooded until local building officials have inspected it for safety.
Use extreme caution when entering buildings.
Wear sturdy shoes. The most common injury following a disaster is cut feet.
Use ONLY battery-powered lighting. Flammable material may be present.
Look for fire hazards (such as damaged gas lines, flooded electrical circuits, or submerged furnaces).
Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window and quickly leave the building. If possible turn off the gas at the outside main valve. Call the gas company.
Report broken utility lines to appropriate authorities.
Check for electrical system damage (sparks, broken or frayed wires, or the smell of burning insulation). Turn off the electricity at the main circuit breaker if you can reach it without stepping in water.
Examine walls, floors, doors, windows, and ceilings for risk of collapsing.
Watch out for animals that might have entered with the floodwaters.
Let the building air out to remove foul odors or escaping gas.
Take pictures of the damage, both of the building and its contents, for insurance claims.
Get professional help.
Seek necessary medical care. Do not neglect minor wounds or illnesses.
Food, clothing, shelter, and first aid are available from the American Red Cross.
If the gas has been turned off for any reason, it must be turned back on by a professional.
Have an electrician check the electrical system and appliances.
Wells should be pumped out and the water tested for purity before drinking.
Your home is no longer a safe place.
Throw away medicine, food, or water that had contact with floodwaters (including canned goods).
If water is of questionable purity, boil drinking water for 10 minutes.
Restrict children from playing in flooded areas.
Keep windows and doors open for ventilation.
Pump out flooded basements gradually (removing about 1/3 of the water volume each day) to avoid structural damage.
Keep the power off until an electrician has inspected the system for safety. All electrical equipment should be checked and dried before being returned to service.
Clean and disinfect everything that got wet.
Service damaged sewage systems as soon as possible.
When making repairs, protect your property from future flood damage.
Follow local building codes.
Use flood-resistant materials and techniques.
Elevate electrical components above the potential flood height.
Elevate utilities (washer, dryer, furnace, and water heater) above the level of anticipated flooding.
Consider elevation of the entire structure.
Install a backflow valve in the sewer system.

Spring has Sprung, Ways to Deal with Natural Disasters