Eyes on the skies

Talk about it

WORTHINGTON — Tornados, straight-line winds, thunderstorms, crippling heatwaves, hailstorms and floods are the threats to recognize and protect yourself against during Severe Weather Awareness Week, April 19-23.

This year, each day features a specific weather-related theme, defined by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Division of Homeland Security.

Monday’s topics of discussion were thunderstorms, hail, lightning and the less commonly-recognized straight-line winds, which can reach up to 100 miles per hour, pick large objects up and fling them long distances.

“We don’t blow sirens for straight-line winds,” said Dan Anderson, Emergency Management Director for Nobles County. “These are things you can’t always prepare for. That’s why you take all storms seriously.”

Straight-line winds are often associated with thunderstorms, and because of the extreme damage they can cause, they have been misreported as tornados. A downburst straight-line wind is a small area of rapidly-descending air beneath a thunderstorm. A dry microburst is a downburst occurring with little or no rain.

Thunderstorms can also produce hail, which causes more than $1 billion in crop and property damage each year, and lightning, which kills 80 people every year.

“If you’re out looking at storms instead of seeking shelter, you’re wrong,” Anderson said. “There are a lot of gawkers… you are increasing your chances of getting hurt by a lot.”

During a thunderstorm, people should stay inside a sturdy building if at all possible, and a car if no buildings are close. Anyone taking shelter in a car should keep the windows up and avoid touching metal. Anyone taking shelter in a building should unplug appliances, use the phone only in an emergency and should not take a bath or shower.

If caught outdoors with no nearby shelter, find a low spot away from trees, poles and fences. If in the woods, take shelter under short trees. If boating or swimming, get to land as quickly as possible to find shelter.

Tuesday’s topic is severe weather warnings, and people should familiarize themselves with emergency alerts, watches and warnings. A watch is issued when conditions are favorable for a storm, tornado or flood. A warning is issued when severe weather has been reported or is imminent.

The National Weather Service and many local media outlets, including the Daily Globe, offer electronic alert services to cell phones and computers.

Today’s topics are floods and flash floods, which kill 200 people a year nation-wide, according to the Minnesota Dept. of Public Safety. Most deaths from flash-floods occur at night, and half of those victims die in automobiles or other vehicles.

During wet conditions, do not drive around road barricades that indicate a road is flooded. The road may be washed out or broken up due to water pressure, which may not be visible.

Thursday will be tornado drill day, and Nobles County is planning two drills, one at 1:45 p.m. and another at 6:55 p.m. In the event of bad weather, the drill will be cancelled.

“It’s not the tornado that will kill you. It’s the flying debris that will kill you,” Anderson said.

People should always be ready to get to a shelter during a tornado watch, because they develop quickly. Get to a basement and get under sturdy furniture or under a stairwell. If it’s not possible to get to a basement, an interior room on the lowest floor is preferable, especially a closet, bathroom or interior hall. Always stay away from windows. People should crouch down and protect themselves from flying debris, or cover up with blankets.

It’s best to abandon a car in favor of a sturdy permanent shelter. People who try to escape a tornado by driving away don’t always make it because they get caught in wind. Bridges can act as wind tunnels and should be avoided.

Anyone caught without shelter during a tornado should lie in a ditch or depression and cover the head. People should not get under overpasses or bridges, because they are safer in a low, flat location.

“The last thing I want to see is people hurt or killed,” Anderson said.

Friday’s topic is heat, a more subtle threat than lightning or tornados that has killed 15 people in Minnesota alone since 1993.

“In the past few years we’ve had pretty good luck in mitigating hot weather. There were not a lot of 100-plus days or high humidity days,” Anderson said.

During a heat wave, people should slow down and avoid strenuous activities, dress for summer in lightweight, light-colored clothing and eat fewer proteins, which can produce metabolic heat and increase water loss. People should stay out of the sun and spend more time in air-conditioned places.

People should drink plenty of water and water-based fluids, and avoid drinking alcohol.

The public is invited to attend regional storm spotter training at 7 p.m. May 4 at the theater at Minnesota West Community and Technical College, Worthington.

Because training is regional rather than county-based this year, the session could be very full, Anderson advised.

Another training session will be 7 p.m. May 6 at Southwest Minnesota State University.

For more information, visit www.severeweather.state.mn.us

Tags: severe weather, news, worthington, tornado, wind, storms