Severe Weather Awareness Week 2012- Day 1
Today is the first day of severe weather awareness week in
Mississippi. The purpose of this week is to encourage everyone
to exercise their preparedness plans.
All this week we will discuss different types of severe weather and
some safety rules people can use to protect their lives and
property.
Today we will discuss severe thunderstorms.
Thunderstorms can produce cloud to ground lightning... large
hail... tornadoes... and flash flooding. All thunderstorms can cause
damage... but the National Weather Service reserves the term
severe thunderstorm for those that produce wind gusts 58 mph or
greater and or hail 1 inch or larger in diameter.
Straight line damaging winds are common across Mississippi
especially during the Spring and Summer months. These storms
can knock down trees and cause damage to structures. In early April
2011... a large complex of thunderstorms moved across the state and then
continued moving across the remainder of the southeastern states. This
complex of storms set a 24 hour record for total severe weather reports
including widespread damaging winds... large hail... and a few tornadoes.
Large hail can damage crops and property. In 2005 a hail storm in
Yazoo County produced tennis-Ball size hail. This hail was also wind
driven and did a significant amount of property damage to houses. In
several cases the hail penetrated the siding of houses or took the
paint off.
The National Weather Service encourages you to take severe thunderstorm
watches and warnings seriously. Winds from severe thunderstorms are at
times as strong as some tornadoes.
The best action to take if a severe thunderstorm approaches is to
find shelter in a strong sturdy building that will stand up to strong
winds. Stay away from windows. Remember tornadoes can and do form
rapidly from severe thunderstorms. So take the same precautions as
you would if a Tornado Warning was issued.
For further information... please view our severe weather awareness week
web Page at http://www.Srh.NOAA.Gov/Jan/?N=swaw
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