by Danna Martinez
Learning about the weather is more important than it sounds. It is crucial to be attentive to possible accidents and prevent them. To stay safe is essential to learn about the weather and its conditions. According to NatGeo, these are some weather examples, which you have to be alert to:
- Tornado
Tornadoes are vertical funnels of rapidly spinning air. These include clouds, strong wind, rain, and sometimes hail.
- Hurricanes
Hurricanes, or cyclones, are a type of extreme weather. Hurricanes are giant, spiraling tropical storms.
- Flood
Flooding is a type of extreme weather. Flooding happens when there is heavy rainfall in a short amount of time and water overflows its natural or artificial banks onto usually dry land.
- Lightning
Lightning is a type of extreme weather seen during thunderstorms. It includes rain, clouds, lightning, thunder, and wind.
Each lightning bolt can contain up to one billion volts of electricity.
- Blizzard
Blizzards are a type of extreme weather. They include heavy snow over a long period of time, ice, and freezing temperatures.
STAY S.A.F.E. SoloProtect website suggest an easy way to remember the steps that could save lives:
- Seek shelter – the safest place to be is indoors. When you find out a storm or tornado is approaching, get inside early. Don’t wait until the weather has arrived, and never try to outrun a tornado in your vehicle.
- Away from windows and doors – head to the basement or the most interior room of the building. High winds can break windows and send debris flying in. Put as many walls between you and the outdoors as possible. It may even be useful to get in the bathtub.
- Follow storm updates – ideally, you want to use a radio for this. Stay informed on tornado watches and warnings, road closures, and where the storm is headed.
- Execute your plan – you always want to have a plan in place for severe weather. Make sure you have adequate water, food, flashlights, batteries, a backup cell phone charger, blankets, and a first aid kit.
It is necessary to be alert to imminent dangers in the places that we repeatedly visit. National Weather Service recommends some Tips:
- Apartments: Get to the lowest floor, with as many walls between you and the outside as possible. Clubhouse or laundry room may be used as a shelter, provided the basic safety guidelines are followed.
- Mobile homes: These are especially susceptible to high winds from severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. It would be best if you made plans BEFORE the storm arrives to get to a safe shelter- do not wait for the tornado warning! If you don’t plan, get out of mobile homes and find a more substantial shelter as quickly as possible. You need to have access to available protection at any time of the day or night.
- Hotels and Motels: Think about tornado safety in hotels, motels. Some lodging establishments have safety plans for guests, but others may not. Interior bathrooms and closets near the center of the building may be good shelters in this situation. Wherever you are forced to seek refuge in a tornado, cover up with pillows, heavy blankets, or whatever you can find.
- Public Buildings (Malls, Stores, Restaurants, and Hospitals) Remember; put as many walls between you and the outside as possible. If you can’t get underground, get as low as possible. Use whatever you have to protect your head and body from flying missiles.
- Being In A Vehicle: Vehicles – cars, trucks, sport utility vehicles, R.V.s, 18-wheelers, boats, trains, planes, etc. – are terrible places to be when a severe thunderstorm threatens. Fortunately, these situations can be avoided most of the time by being ALERT to the possibility of severe storms and tornadoes. Bad weather can be hazardous unless traffic, time of day, and road options allow you to see the tornado, determine which way it’s moving (and how fast), find a road option that will take you out of its path (while avoiding other storms) and to safe shelter.
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