Some of you may be guilty of this. I know I was. We live in an area of the country that permits us to have a basement; this is our default spot when the sirens go off. I have been so busy this year that I was chomping at the bit to get out of the basement and back to whatever the sirens interrupted. My wife pointed out that we shouldn’t be telling people to take shelter, if we aren’t. Humbled, I have changed my point of view about severe weather. As preppers we prepare for “what may come”, yet when it’s “just a thunder storm”, many of us either ignore it or go out and watch.
Severe weather is the “stuff hitting the fan” scenario for countless families every year. This year has been worse than most. There have been hundreds of casualties and thousands affected by tornadoes, floods and straight-line winds. We still have hurricane season and several months left in the year. Understanding severe weather and knowing when and how we can mitigate its affects are an important preparation. Instead of reinventing the wheel, I’ll list some great resources found and also give some of my own thoughts.
Watches and Warnings
From NOAA Severe weather website:
“When conditions are favorable for severe weather to develop, a severe thunderstorm or tornado WATCH is issued. Weather Service personnel use information from weather radar, spotters, and other sources to issue severe thunderstorm and tornado WARNINGS for areas where severe weather is imminent.”
As I mentioned above, I have found myself chomping at the bit to get out of the basement. I have decided instead to set a better example for the kids (avoid angering my beautiful wife) and stay in the basement until all tornado warnings have passed. Under certain circumstances we’ll be in there for thunderstorms as well.
Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, Lightning…Nature’s Most Violent Storms (This is a big file. Please be patient while it loads.)
This is a very informative document created by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It covers facts about thunderstorms, tornadoes, lightning, hail, straight-line winds, flash floods and creating a severe weather plan.
Just some of the information found inside:
Why Worry About Thunderstorms?
Lightning…
■ Causes an average of 55-60 fatalities and 400 injuries each year
■ Occurs with all thunderstorms
■ Costs more than $1 billion in insured losses each year
Tornadoes…
■ Cause an average of 60-65 fatalities and 1,500 injuries each year
■ Can produce wind speeds in excess of 200 mph
■ Can be 1 mile wide and stay on the ground over 50 miles
Straight-line Winds…
■ Can exceed 125 mph
■ Can cause destruction equal to a tornado
■ Are extremely dangerous to aviation
Flash Floods and Floods…
■ Are the #1 cause of deaths associated with thunderstorms, more than 90 fatalities each year
Hail…
■ Can be larger than a softball (5 inches in diameter)
■ Causes more than $1 billion in crop and property damage each year.
Ice Storms
Ice storms are caused when freezing rain or sleet falls and coats whatever it lands on in ice. These ice storms can last for hours or in some cases days. The longer it lasts, the more damage it causes. An ice storm can make the roads un-driveable. The real danger, it seems to me, is from the added weight to trees and over-head power lines.
Where I live in Minnesota, we had a fairly mild ice storm and my wife’s cousin was without power for two days. We have underground power lines in my neighborhood so losing power wasn’t a huge concern but I had to knock ice off of the branches on one of our trees to keep them from breaking under the added weight. I have seen multiple reports where ice storms have caused large-scale power outages lasting weeks in some cases. Though I think the ones lasting weeks were in rural areas.
If you live in an area where snow is possible, you live in an area that can have ice storms. Having a stocked pantry is always a good idea but in this circumstance it could be a lifesaver for you or a neighbor. Having a means of alternative heat and power are ideal as well. Make sure your alternate heat source is meant for indoors or asphyxiation by carbon monoxide is possible. If a generator is your means of alternative power then only use it out doors.
I recommend having a winter kit in your car. I plan on covering this in more detail before this winter. For now jumper cables, some extra food, a container to melt snow in and an extra blanket are a good start. If you have to drive in this type of weather, make sure someone knows your route and the time frame you think you’ll be there.
Hurricanes
I don’t live in an area that deals with hurricanes, so my knowledge of them is limited to what I have read and watched in documentaries . The National Hurricane Center is a great resource for any current hurricanes or other tropical weather dangers. I’m sure we all remember hurricane Katrina and the huge amount of damage it caused but much smaller hurricanes are still capable of causing a large amount of damage.
Hurricanes are one of the few things, when dealing with severe weather, that we are given a fair amount of notice about. The information we receive in advance includes where, when and how bad the damage will be. For this reason I would absolutely have a bug out plan, just in case. In “Bugging Out or Battening Down? Bugging Out or Battening Down?” I cover some information on building a bug out plan, even if you don’t have a BOL (Bug Out Location).
The same preparations for ice storms, such as a stocked pantry and alternative heat and power apply to hurricanes as well.
When it comes to severe weather, what can we do?
We can stay informed, we can be prepared and we can take shelter if needed.
Stay informed
There are a few different ways we can stay informed, one is to alert us of the weather (if we’re not outside in it), the second is more detailed information when we are aware of it. A couple of great ways to get alerted to severe weather are weather alert radios and having a text sent to your phone.
We have a couple different types of weather alert radios, each serving different purposes. I would recommend either. The first is a Reecom R-1630 and works great as a stationary base.
You can program it for single or multiple counties and it has different sounds for watch vs. warning. It has a screen that will tell you the type of alert and the time it expires.
The second weather alert radio we have is a Midland HH50.
It has fewer features but is great for times when you’re out and about. It can be set to alert you if either a watch or warning is declared but also has a radio feature so that once the alert has sounded you can find out what is going on.
Another way to get informed about oncoming severe weather is to have a text message sent to your cell phone. I don’t use this service but I wanted to find an example in case this would be of interest to you. The Weather Channel provides this service but it tends to be buggy because it is new. I am sure there are others.
Be Prepared
When we started prepping we had accrued various supplies, but it hadn’t dawned on us until the tornado sirens were sounding and we were in the basement that we didn’t have what we needed down there. This brings up a great point, document anything you discover you’re missing in the moment. This will help ensure you’re not missing it again at a later date.
I mentioned in the sections for ice storms that having alternate power and heat are a good idea. This can mean a generator and propane heater (with necessary precautions followed) but it can also mean extra batteries and extra blankets. One very good prep is a power failure flashlight . It stays plugged into an outlet and if you lose electricity it will turn on. You can then pull it out of the outlet and make your way to your “lights out kit”.
Having a “lights out” kit is a good idea but if you have one, learn from my mistake and put it in your severe weather shelter. I recommend having alternate light sources and extra batteries in them. We have candles in ours but I need to make a special note on candles here: A friend of mine said recently that she had seen that candles were not recommended, as people who don’t use them regularly end up starting fires or getting burned accidentally. It might be a good idea to only include candles if you use them regularly. We keep a fire extinguisher in the basement, if you choose to, make sure you know how to use it.
I have seen some recommendations to be prepared to eat cold food; I recommend a backup way to cook and covered a few of these in Food Boredom to Survival Cooking. When in the Navy I lived on cold food for a time. A hot meal can really raise the spirits. However, as with candles, this should be a means of cooking you’re familiar with. A non-electric can opener is also a good idea.
Other items you might want to include are the shake flashlight or a wind up radio/flashlight/cell charger. I have one of these, but it’s not a good one so I won’t name the brand here. A radio (weather or otherwise) is a good idea so that you can stay informed. We have also started to bring our cell phones and iPods for the kids. There are other things you might want to keep in your lights out kit, but you get the idea. It needs to be specific to your family’s needs.
Take Shelter
At Home
When weather is at it’s worst and we have to take shelter, for many of us that means we head for the basement or a storm shelter. I’ll give some ideas to those of you that don’t have access to either of those. One of the biggest dangers in severe weather is flying debris. A room with no windows is the safest place to be. Ideally this would be the bathroom, you can get in the tub and drag a mattress or couch cushions to cover you. A closet is also an option..
If you don’t have a room without windows or a sufficient closet, a hallway will work. If you don’t have a hallway that will work but have a couch, you can turn it over and get in the space underneath. You can also turn it upside down against a wall and get in the space in between.
Fox news did a story called Kevlar Bunker Provides Safe House for Tornado Survivor. They told about a women who had a 4ft x 4ft Kevlar box. For those with no other solution and who can afford it this is a great idea.
Driving
If you’re driving and get caught in severe weather, stay informed by listening to the radio. If you’re caught in a thunderstorm, pulling over and waiting it out might be the best idea. For the men reading this, put your machismo aside, your family needs you more than you need to prove that you can handle driving in it.
I have pulled over and waited out storms on the side of the road. I have always worried about visibility; someone else not being able to see me and pulling over to wait it out, hitting me. If you do this, remember to put your hazard lights on. If possible I suggest waiting it out in a parking lot. When possible go into a nearby building instead..and DO NOT pull over under an overpass.
Tornado
A tornado is a completely different beast. I have seen some recommendations about parking under an overpass. Having just become a trained spotter, I was informed that this is DANGEROUS, not just insufficient. An overpass works as a wind tunnel. You are NOT safe there. The absolute best thing to do is take shelter inside a solid structure. If that is simply not an option, find the lowest place you can get to and assume “the position”. If that happens to be a ditch, lie as flat as you can with your hands covering the back of your head.
Please click here to vote for Prepared Christian as a top Prepper site!
If you liked this article please think about sharing it on the social media listed below, thanks!
