It's Severe Weather Awareness Week

This week is Severe Weather Awareness Week in the state of Pennsylvania.  I'll start off talking about severe thunderstorms and tornadoes today, and we'll talk about flooding later on this week.  It was kind of ironic that we kicked the week off with some thunderstorms Monday morning, but we didn't see any severe weather.  However, it will not be very long before we start to see severe thunderstorms as warmer air tries to march its way northward.  The prime severe weather season in Pennsylvania is between April and July, with the most tornadoes occurring between May and July.

To be classified as a severe thunderstorm, a storm must do one or more of the following:

• Produce a wind gust of 58 MPH or greater

• Produce hail of 1" diameter or greater

• Spawn a tornado

While Pennsylvania is not as prone to severe weather as the plain states, but there were still 508 reports of severe weather in Pennsylvania last year, including 15 tornadoes.  Those tornadoes were mainly in eastern parts of the state as well as right along the NY/PA border. 

There were no confirmed tornadoes in our viewing area last year, which is not all that out of the ordinary.  That being said, it is important to remember that even though tornadoes in this area are relatively rare, they can happen.  In the famous May 31, 1985 outbreak, our area was home to an extremely impressive tornado that tracked 69 miles across the Moshannon and Sproul State Forests, with the width of the damage exceeding two miles in spots.  It is rare for a tornado to stay on the ground for more than a couple of miles, so for a tornado to continue for 69 miles is remarkable.  This particular tornado traversed high elevations and mountains, which brings me to a common myth about tornadoes that I hear all the time -- that they can't form here because of the mountains.  They can, and do form over mountainous areas.

Below is the number of tornadoes in recorded history broken down by county:

What can you to protect you and your family from severe weather?  Keep up to date on the latest watches and warnings, especially if you plan to spend time outside.  The best way to get immediate information on watches and warnings is to purchase a NOAA Weather Radio.  We have teamed up with Alert Works to get you a great deal and FREE shipping on a NOAA Weather Radio -- you can check that out here: http://wearecentralpa.com/weather/weather-radio 

When your area is under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch or a Tornado Watch, that means that severe weather and/or tornadoes are possible in your area over the next several hours.  If you plan to be outside, keep your eyes and ears open for rapidly changing weather conditions.  If you hear thunder, you are close enough to the storm to be struck by lightning.  Move into a car or inside to a sturdy building away from windows.  Do not seek shelter under trees.  If you find yourself out in the open with no place to go, crouch down as low as you can so that you are not the tallest object.  If you are indoors, stay away from windows and do not use electrical appliances or corded phones, as electricity can travel through the electrical and phone lines.  Electricity can also travel through water lines, so it is also a good idea to stay out of the bathtub or shower.

If there is a Severe Thunderstorm Warning in effect for your area, it means that a storm containing wind gusts over 58 MPH or hail over 1" in diameter could be affecting you in the next 15 to 30 minutes.  Tornado warnings are issued either when Doppler Radar indicates that a storm is rotating enough to put down a tornado or when trained spotters have spotted a tornado on the ground.  If a tornado warning is issued in your area, move to the basement in your home.  If a basement is not available, move to an interior room without windows on the lowest floor possible.  It is best to bring a radio with you.  If you don't have a portable radio available, you can turn up your TV loud enough to hear -- we will break into programming when a tornado warning is issued to bring you the latest information.

We are heading into the time of year when we are spending long periods of time outdoors.  Make sure you know how to stay safe when severe weather strikes.

--Meteorologist Brian Thompson