Currently: 47°F
Dorothy wasn’t prepared when a twister hit her house, but you can be.
Strong thunderstorms often pop up during hot and humid summer days, which can sometimes quickly lead to severe weather conditions. Preparing yourself and your family for severe weather should begin long before it arrives.
“The three most frequent threats for us in Lancaster Country are straight-line wind, hail and localized flooding,” said Millersville Weather Information Center Director, Eric Horst. “The more common danger is straight-line wind, which are gusts from storms, not affiliated with tornadoes that reach 40, 50 and 60 miles per hour. They can take trees down, take power lines down and take shingles off your house. They won’t roll over a car, but they can do damage.”
While tornadoes in Pennsylvania are rare, our state still sees an average of 10-20 a year, according to Horst.
“When we do get tornadoes in Pennsylvania, they are usually weak and infrequent. When measured on the Enhanced Fujita scale of EF0 – EF5, we typically see the EF0 to EF2 tornadoes in Pa., whereas stronger EF3 to EF5 are rare here.”
Even a weak tornado can result in extensive damage, so preparation begins by always staying aware of the conditions outside as reported by meteorologists. An important distinction is made between a tornado watch and a tornado warning.
“A watch means the conditions are favorable for tornados to form. We need to be aware and keep our eye to the sky,” said Horst. “A warning means there is [a tornado] on the ground or a funnel cloud has been spotted.”
Safety precautions should take place before a tornado warning is issued. Keeping informed on the status of the tornado can be just as vital as taking appropriate action. Follow this link to sign up for MU Alert that will send updates for campus quickly by text message or email for tornadoes and other emergencies. Additionally, cell phones can automatically receive a wireless alert by text message from the National Weather Service during weather emergencies.
It’s important to find appropriate shelter when severe weather threatens. Those in the open outdoors should seek indoor shelter if possible. Priority should be placed on maximizing your distance from trees and cars. Lay face-down on low ground, using your arms to protect the back of your head.
If indoors, find an enclosed location on the lowest floor possible that contains no windows, such as a bathroom, closet or hallway. Stay away from corners that may contain debris and keep a distance from any glass. Crouch down and use padding such as a mattress, blanket or pillow to cover your head from falling debris.
Outside of the home, all places of employment should have established procedures for tornado emergencies to ensure the safety and accountability of workers. Procedures should be communicated and training should occur ahead of time to prepare employees in a weather-related emergency with equipment and resources such as emergency supply kits.
Sign up for MU Alert: https://mualert.millersville.edu/index.php?CCheck=1
Sign up for National Weather Service text messages: http://www.weather.gov/subscribe
