Urban Survival Secrets

Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms pose many hazards. They produce lightning and hail. Their torrential rains can trigger floods; their strong winds can create deadly tornadoes. You have to worry about them when they get to be “severe,” which the National Weather Service defines as having winds of more than 57 mph and/or hail about the size of a marble. About 100,000 thunderstorms occur in the U.S. each year; 10 percent become severe. Every state has thunderstorms. 1.    When its your turn, stay tuned to the latest weather forecasts, and listen for watches and warnings for tornadoes and floods. 2.     If the weather service issues a watch: ·         Tie down lawn chairs, picnic tables and trash cans, or bring them inside. ·         Park you car under an awning or inside a garage. ·         Close windows and draw the blinds or curtains. This precaution will lessen the hazard of flying glass if a window gets broken. 3.     Listen to radio or television for warnings.

4.     Just before and during the storm, count the seconds between seeing lightning and hearing thunder. If this time is 30 seconds or less, then the lightning is a threat. Seek shelter. After seeing the last lightning flash, wait 30 minutes before leaving shelter. More than half of the people killed by lightning died after the storm passed