Wednesday April 27, 2015

This is the third of a five part series on severe weather safety which will run each day during New Jersey and Pennsylvania's Severe Weather Awareness Week.

Today we discuss severe weather preparedness and safety. All thunderstorms, whether they are severe or not, are dangerous due to lightning. When one approaches, you need to protect yourself.

Before a storm, develop a safety plan you can implement to protect yourself and your family at home, school, work or outdoors. Identify a safe place to take shelter and know what actions to take when a warning is issued. The best way to do this is to conduct frequent drills.

Lightning is a thunderstorm's biggest killer. Do not use electrical appliances while a thunderstorm is nearby.

If you are outdoors, seek shelter in a sturdy building. Keep out of open areas such as pavilions or gazebos. Stay away from tall objects such as isolated trees, and metal objects such as towers supporting power lines. Also stay away from wire fences, clothes lines, metal pipes, and rails. If in an automobile, do not touch metal parts or the exterior.

Lightning may be about to strike if you are out in the open and feel your hair stand on end or your skin tingle. Drop onto your tiptoes at once, bend forward and put your hands on your head. Don't lie flat on the ground.

Stay out of the water. If you are boating, head to shore at the first sign of threatening weather. In addition to the danger of lightning, gusty thunderstorm winds can easily capsize small boats.

You should also stay away from places that could flood during a thunderstorm. Flash flooding caused by heavy downpours is another thunderstorm danger. Low lying areas, especially near streams and creeks, can flood rapidly. Never drive your car into a flooded area.

Remember, thunderstorms occasionally produce tornadoes. And sometimes thunderstorm winds are strong enough to cause tornado like damage. So be prepared to move to a safe shelter when a thunderstorm is near.