Michigan Severe Weather Safety Tips

Tornadoes, Lightning, High Winds, Floods, Cold, Snow

Reducing the Risk Posed by Severe Weather

A Three-Tiered Strategy

1. The Warning Decision: Identifying the threat

2. Getting the word out: Receiving the warning

3. Awareness: Knowing what precautions to take and how to respond to the threat.

Some Basic Definitions:

Watch: Conditions are favorable. Be Alert! Have a means to receive warnings.

Warning: It is occurring or is expected shortly. Take Action!

Severe Thunderstorm: Storm that produces one or more of the following: Wind greater than 50 knots (58 mph), hail 3/4 inch or larger, a tornado.Flash Flood: A flood with a rapid onset, generally less than six hours.

The Warning Decision Based on: Radar data Observations Expected Evolution of Storm

HookEcho

Grand Rapids radar

People Need to Get the Warnings

• Fatalities are a lot lower when they do• NOAA Weather Radio• StormReady• Pagers set up to alert high risk areas?• Polygon warnings will focus on smaller area• How do we maintain awareness in off season?• Can watches/warnings focus on stronger

tornadoes?

NOAA Weather Radio: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/

Getting the Warnings and Forecasts:

Thunderstorm Threats

•Tornadoes

•Downbursts (“straight line winds”)

•Large Hail

•Heavy Rain and Flash Flooding

•Lightning

Lightning: The Most Common Threat

If Outdoors: •Get Indoors.•Do not stand near tall trees or metal objects.•If boating or swimming, head for shore. •Avoid high elevations. •If caught in the open, crouch down until there is a break in the storm.

If Indoors:

•Avoid running water, electrical appliances.•Get off corded phones.

Safety Tips for Lighting

High Wind Threats: Flying Debris, Falling Trees

Winds in a Microburst can reach 150 mph.

Spring Lake Subdivison: hit by 120 mph winds on 5/31/1998

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Monthly Distribution of Damaging ThunderstormWinds 1996-1999

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Hourly Distribution of Damaging Thunderstorm Winds 1996-1999

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Ontario, Canada north of International Falls MN...1991

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A Microburst: Imagine riding this storm out in a tent or camper?

Safety Tips for DownburstsGet Away From Trees

•Leave tents, cars and campers•Get inside a sturdy shelter•If none is available, seek a sheltered area away from trees•Cars are better than nothing, but avoid parking near trees

Tornado Threats: Flying Debris, collapsing buildings

Airborne missiles up to the size of automobiles.

Monthly Distribution of Tornadoes in SW Lower Michigan 1950-2000

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Hourly Distribution of Tornadoes in SW Lower Michigan 1950-2000

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Tornado Video Clip

Near Minneapolis 1986: Taken from HelicopterThis might take a while to load

Killer Tornadoes are Rare

• Less than three percent of all tornadoes kill people

• Less than 14 percent injure people

• Less than one percent kill more than 10 people or injure more than 100 people

• There were no multiple fatality tornadoes in Michigan from May, 1980 to October, 2007.

Complacency is a Problem

• “They don’t happen here”

• There were 19 violent tornadoes in Michigan from 1953 to 1977

• There have been ZERO since

• WE ARE OVERDUE

Most Vulnerable Places

• Unanchored mobile homes: Fatality rate 10 times greater than permanent homes

• Cars

• Campgrounds

• Large outdoor gatherings

• Shopping Centers

Most Vulnerable Times

• Late night: More than 60% percent fewer fatalities from 6 am to 6 pm compared to Midnight-6 am

• More than 40% percent fewer from 6 pm to Midnight compared to Midnight-6 am

• Some of the worst death tolls in recent years have been when late night tornadoes hit mobile home parks

• Weekends: Fatalities are 70% higher on weekends• Off season: tornadoes (Feb-Mar, Oct-Nov) are

typically deadlier

Evansville, IN: November 2005

• Struck after midnight

• On a weekend

• Off season

• Hit a mobile home park

• Four high risk factors = 25 dead

Safety Tips for TornadoesGet to a Sturdy Structure

•Get below ground: a storm shelter or basement.•If no basement, find a small interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.•Leave cars. They will go airborne in strong tornadoes.•If caught in the open, hit the dirt! Find a ditch or culvert and protect your head and torso.•Highway overpasses should be avoided.

Post-Tornado Safety• Get out of/don’t go into damaged buildings

• Keep your family/group together and wait for emergency personnel to arrive

• Watch for live wires, gas leaks, broken glass, nails, etc.

• Stay out of the way of emergency vehicles

• Do not drive into affected areas

Tornado Talking Points• Let the tornado open the windows

• No “vacuum”; pressure drop is enough to make your ears pop, but not your house

• Deadly winds extend well outside funnel

• Some tornadoes have no visible funnel!

• Overpasses are not safe

Scene of death, injuries from May 3, 1999 F5 Last F5 Tornado in Michigan, 4/3/56

Recent Success Stories

• Van Wert, OH, November 2002

• Parsons Manufacturing, July 2004

• Preparedness can make the difference

• Violent tornadoes can be survived if proper procedures are in place!

Parsons Mfg. July 13, 2004

150 People in the plant when an F4 tornado scored a direct hit. NOT ONE SINGLE INJURY!

*Designated Weather Watcher

*NOAA Weather Radio

*Shelters

*Drills

Flash Flood Threats: Washed out, flooded Roads

Only a few inches of flowing water can mean BIG trouble.

Safety Tips for Flash FloodsYour car makes a lousy boat

•Never attempt to cross a flooded road.•Avoid low ground and areas subject to flooding.•Be especially cautious at night.

Winter Weather Safety Staying Safe in Cold and Snow

The Threats

What to Prepare for

▪Snowstorms▪Extreme Cold▪Ice Storms▪High Winds

When Caught in a Winter Storm:Things to do, things to avoid

If outside: Find shelter. Stay dry, cover exposed parts of the body.

If on the road: Stay in your vehicle. Run the engine about ten minutes each hour for heat. Make sure exhaust pipe is not blocked. Exercise by vigorously moving arms, legs, fingers and toes to keep warm. Try to make yourself visible to rescuers.

If at home or work: Stay inside. If using alternative heat, use fire safeguards and properly ventilate.

Extreme ColdWays that the threat can be avoided/mitigated

For Hypothermia: To avoid: Dress in layers (wool is good since it lets moisture through). Keep moving! Don’t get clothing wet. For Frostbite: To avoid: Dress for the weather. Cover all exposed areas, including not only fingers, but also ears and nose. Limit your time outdoors and in the wind.

TreatmentEarly Detection is Key

Hypothermia: Warning signs: uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, and apparent exhaustion.Treatment: Get indoors and in warm, dry clothes. Slowly warm the body core before the extremities. Drink warm (not hot) liquids.Frostbite: Warning signs: Loss of feeling. White or pale appearance in extremities, such as fingers, toes, ears, and the tip of the nose.Treatment: Slowly rewarm the affected areas. If the person is also showing signs of hypothermia, warm the body core before the extremities. Seek medical help if tissue damage has occurred.

National Weather Service Grand Rapids

Web site: weather.govwww.crh.noaa.gov/grr/

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