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Yesterday there were nearly 100 reports of tornados or tornadic winds across the southeastern United States, with at least six fatalities reported in Alabama (WSFA TV-12) alone.
And as this Associated Press article explains (see Alabama governor declares state of emergency in wake of deadly storms), damage was widespread.
Here is a map (below) showing severe weather reports from yesterday, April 15th.
Current Severe Storms threat as of 6am EDT 4/16/11
As the map (above) from NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma indicates: severe weather is once again possible in the deep south.
By later this evening the threat region moves east to the Carolinas.
Severe storms are all too common in the deep south and Ohio Valley this time of year, but many residents remain poorly prepared to deal with them.
Although all states are susceptible to tornadoes, some regions are hit more often than others. The following map shows the areas most at risk for twisters.
While tornadoes garner the most media attention, due to the dramatic and extensive property damage they can cause, lightning claims more lives in an average year.
For many years my home state, Florida, was considered the lightning capital of the world.
Now we know, via satellite data, that Rwanda can legitimately claim that title. But Tampa, Florida remains the lightning capital of the United States.
The greatest killer most years, however, is flooding. The following comes from FEMA’s Natural Hazards PDF (vol1)
All thunderstorms are dangerous. Every thunderstorm produces lightning. In the United States, an average of 300 people are injured and 80 people are killed each year by lightning. 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.
The following are facts about thunderstorms:
• They may occur singly, in clusters, or in lines.
• Some of the most severe occur when a single thunderstorm affects one location for an extended time.
• Thunderstorms typically produce heavy rain for a brief period, anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.
• Warm, humid conditions are highly favorable for thunderstorm development.
• About 10 percent of thunderstorms are classified as severe—one that produces hail at least three-quarters of an inch in diameter, has winds of 58 miles per hour or higher, or produces a tornado.
The following are facts about lightning:
• Lightning’s unpredictability increases the risk to individuals and property.
• Lightning often strikes outside of heavy rain and may occur as far as 10 miles away from any rainfall.
• “Heat lightning” is actually lightning from a thunderstorm too far away for thunder to be heard. However, the storm may be moving in your direction!
• Most lightning deaths and injuries occur when people are caught outdoors in the summer months during the afternoon and evening.
• Your chances of being struck by lightning are estimated to be 1 in 600,000, but could be reduced even further by following safety precautions.• Lightning strike victims carry no electrical charge and should be attended to immediately.
NOAA has put together a colorful and informative severe storms preparedness guide that you can download by clicking the image below.
When you are adequately prepared for severe weather threats, you are also prepared for practically any other disaster; earthquakes, floods, industrial accidents, etc.
You can find more preparedness information at Ready.gov.
And a reminder, FEMA maintains an emergency preparation website for kids, where they can learn all about disaster threats, and what to do about them.
Quite obviously agencies of the United State’s government spend a lot of resources every year in attempts to get the public to prepare for disasters.
They know that citizen preparedness is key to reducing the morbidity, mortality, and misery that often occurs during a disaster.
Severe storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards, and floods happen every year. Damaging earthquakes are less common, but still a genuine threat.
No one should lay awake at night worrying about these threats. Instead, they should make preparations to deal with them if and when they do happen.
As I tell people. Preparing is easy.
Worrying is hard.
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