Severe Weather Stat's, Tips, and FAQs
Hey everybody, How's it going?! I hope everybody is safe of this Saturday evening following Saturday morning's powerful storms that rocked parts of the Natural State. I wanted to do this update, because I've gotten tons of questions from people that have confused last night's wind damage to tornado damage. This is why people die, or get hurt during dangerous weather, due to misconceptions and myths, I want to clear some of that up in this post. Let me start by saying, straight lined winds can be just as bad as tornadoes. Straight Lined Winds can meet and exceed tornado, and possibly even hurricane force winds. ANYTIME you have winds moving that fast there will be damage, we all know that. But just because there is a Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in effect, that doesn't mean yo
u should take it any less serious. Sometimes when I broadcast a warning on Social Media, I will go ahead and say " Get to a Safe Place", because I know that the winds this particular thunderstorm are producing, or will produce tornado like damage which makes the threat to life just as deadly as a Tornado!
STATS - In the Year of 2017 there was 50 Wind related fatalities reported, 9 of that 50 was Mobile Home related ( MOBILE HOMES ARE NOT SAFE IN ANY TYPE OF INCLEMENT WEATHER, ESPECIALLY SEVERE WEATHER). 12 of the 50 wind related deaths were inconclusive (Sometimes after storms people die for other reasons caused by the wind i.e. Electrocution from lines, miscellaneous reasons like that can take lives.) 16 people of that 50 killed due to wind related deaths were vehicle related (If You hear warnings near where you're driving, PULL OVER AND WAIT IT OUT. I understand you're trying to get home, I get it! I understand, You're scared, but when you DRIVE a vehicle into Winds greater than 58mph You are playing Russian Roulette with your life! NO DESTINATION IS THAT SERIOUS! PULL OVER AND WAIT IT OUT!) Over the past 10 years 59 people die per year due to Severe Thunderstorms, that's half the average of Tornado deaths. Lightning killed 16 People in 2017. Half of those people killed by lightning in 2017 where in Outside Open areas (Lightning tends to strike the tallest, or most isolated object in an area, often times those objects have more charges on them that attracts the lightning.) 1 in every 10 Lightning strike victims die INSTANTLY... Lightning is a Serious unpredictable weapon of Nature, and it is ALWAYS to be respected.
TIPS - When you've been notified of Severe Thunderstorms in your area, or that storms are moving your direction there are some potentially life saving tips that you should take that could possibly end up saving your life. Some things to do are not limited to; Waiting in a sturdy building or house until the Severe Weather passes through, pulling off the highway, and waiting out the storm with your hands in your lap, and all metal objects off of your skin. Tethering all loose objects to a secure object. Staying away from windows, and TREES. Following any of those tips could, and will save your life if you are faced with a mean storm. Lightning tips are the same but not limited to; getting into a sturdy building or house (NOT MOBILE HOME), getting away from windows, not touching WATER, OR METAL OBJECTS, taking all metal objects off like watches and rings, and other jewelry, staying off the phone. If you are caught out in the open in a Lightning Storm, GET DOWN LOW, SQUAT down with your feet pointed down (SQUAT DOWN ON YOUR HEELS), it's an uncomfortable position but it gives the current a path out of your body if you get struck. If You're outside in a Lightning storm, IF at all possible, RUN....... If you have nowhere safe to run to like a car, or building, or house, get down.
FAQs - What are Straight Lined Winds? Straight Lined Winds are classified as a none rotating downburst type front of wind that pushes DOWN and OUT of a storm into the direction that the storm is moving in. The Strength of straight lined winds vary from storm to storm but in order for them to be considered "Severe" the winds have to be greater than 60mph.
What's the difference between Straight Lined Winds and Tornadoes? Tornadoes are spinning columns of air that descend from a bigger spinning column of air. Tornadoes have a focused path and point of impact (Touchdown Point), Straight Lined Winds are just a big Gust of air being forced out of a storm, doesn't have a circulation, and doesn't really have a point of impact, they just flatten whatever is in front of them.
How Can You tell if a Storm is Strong enough to warrant drastic measures? ANYTIME a Severe Thunderstorm Warning in effect for a Storm, that means that it has the strength to kill you, so drastic measures should be taken immediately.
This is a Screenshot of this morning's (7/21/2018) Severe Storms that moved into Pulaski county. The Greens are winds that are being piced up that are moving towards the radarsite, which is in the direction of thos arrows. The Bright Greens are indications of very strong "Straight Lined Winds" moving torwards the direction of the arrows drawn.
STATS - In the Year of 2017 there was 50 Wind related fatalities reported, 9 of that 50 was Mobile Home related ( MOBILE HOMES ARE NOT SAFE IN ANY TYPE OF INCLEMENT WEATHER, ESPECIALLY SEVERE WEATHER). 12 of the 50 wind related deaths were inconclusive (Sometimes after storms people die for other reasons caused by the wind i.e. Electrocution from lines, miscellaneous reasons like that can take lives.) 16 people of that 50 killed due to wind related deaths were vehicle related (If You hear warnings near where you're driving, PULL OVER AND WAIT IT OUT. I understand you're trying to get home, I get it! I understand, You're scared, but when you DRIVE a vehicle into Winds greater than 58mph You are playing Russian Roulette with your life! NO DESTINATION IS THAT SERIOUS! PULL OVER AND WAIT IT OUT!) Over the past 10 years 59 people die per year due to Severe Thunderstorms, that's half the average of Tornado deaths. Lightning killed 16 People in 2017. Half of those people killed by lightning in 2017 where in Outside Open areas (Lightning tends to strike the tallest, or most isolated object in an area, often times those objects have more charges on them that attracts the lightning.) 1 in every 10 Lightning strike victims die INSTANTLY... Lightning is a Serious unpredictable weapon of Nature, and it is ALWAYS to be respected.
TIPS - When you've been notified of Severe Thunderstorms in your area, or that storms are moving your direction there are some potentially life saving tips that you should take that could possibly end up saving your life. Some things to do are not limited to; Waiting in a sturdy building or house until the Severe Weather passes through, pulling off the highway, and waiting out the storm with your hands in your lap, and all metal objects off of your skin. Tethering all loose objects to a secure object. Staying away from windows, and TREES. Following any of those tips could, and will save your life if you are faced with a mean storm. Lightning tips are the same but not limited to; getting into a sturdy building or house (NOT MOBILE HOME), getting away from windows, not touching WATER, OR METAL OBJECTS, taking all metal objects off like watches and rings, and other jewelry, staying off the phone. If you are caught out in the open in a Lightning Storm, GET DOWN LOW, SQUAT down with your feet pointed down (SQUAT DOWN ON YOUR HEELS), it's an uncomfortable position but it gives the current a path out of your body if you get struck. If You're outside in a Lightning storm, IF at all possible, RUN....... If you have nowhere safe to run to like a car, or building, or house, get down.
FAQs - What are Straight Lined Winds? Straight Lined Winds are classified as a none rotating downburst type front of wind that pushes DOWN and OUT of a storm into the direction that the storm is moving in. The Strength of straight lined winds vary from storm to storm but in order for them to be considered "Severe" the winds have to be greater than 60mph.
What's the difference between Straight Lined Winds and Tornadoes? Tornadoes are spinning columns of air that descend from a bigger spinning column of air. Tornadoes have a focused path and point of impact (Touchdown Point), Straight Lined Winds are just a big Gust of air being forced out of a storm, doesn't have a circulation, and doesn't really have a point of impact, they just flatten whatever is in front of them.
How Can You tell if a Storm is Strong enough to warrant drastic measures? ANYTIME a Severe Thunderstorm Warning in effect for a Storm, that means that it has the strength to kill you, so drastic measures should be taken immediately.
I HOPE EVERYBODY READ THIS, and Found it Informative, Please take this stuff Serious! If there are any questions or input, all is welcomed! THANKS GUYS, Have a Safe Evening!
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