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by Burlington_Rocker from Burlington, NC

Last Post 91 days, 6 hours Ago


Severe Weather Awareness Week
Mar 3, 2008 | 9:37 AM
Category: Weather
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March 2-8 is NC Severe Weather Awareness Week. There will be a specific topic of discussion each day that I will post on this blog entry. Also Wednesday will be the annual state-wide tornado drill. This along with our slight potential of severe weather on Tuesday evening should get everyone to begin thinking about what you would do in case severe weather strikes your area. With winter storms and tropical systems there's always lots of advance notice. Severe storms however may fire up quickly and unexpectedly with little to no warning. Here now is today’s entry:

Each day we will cover a different topic. Today we will define exactly what is a severe thunderstorm?

The last five years alone have seen a large amount of severe weather in North Carolina. Over the last five years there have been nearly 5000 reports of large hail and damaging wind statewide resulting in over thirty two million dollars in damage. Severe thunderstorms are also responsible for injuries and even deaths in the state resulting from lightning and high winds. The severe thunderstorm season in central North Carolina typically starts in March and does not end until late in the fall.

...severe thunderstorms...

The National Weather Service considers a thunderstorm severe if it produces a tornado, hail at least the size of a penny and or winds of 58 mph or greater. These minimum wind and hail parameters are the National Weather Service's warning criteria for severe thunderstorms. It is worth noting that the National Weather Service does not issue warnings for lightning and given the deadly nature of lightning you should always be aware of the lightning danger anytime a thunderstorm is nearby. In 2007 warnings issued by National Weather Service offices provided an average of sixteen minutes lead time for severe thunderstorms with a detection rate of nearly ninety percent.

...large hail...

In the last 5 years severe thunderstorms in North Carolina have  produced hail as large as tennis balls and even baseballs across the piedmont and eastern North Carolina. Just 2 years ago baseball size hail struck Eastern North Carolina resulting in over one hundred thousand dollars in damage. Back in 2005 hail of nearly 4 inches in daimeter caused damage across the triangle. While hail is not usually life threatening, these large chucks of ice when driven by strong winds cause serious damage to roofs, automobiles, and crops. Hail season in central North Carolina typically runs from mid March through early July, typically peaking in May.

Hailstones grow in thunderstorms with strong updrafts. These strong upward moving currents of air keep the ice suspended inside the thunderstorm...allowing the chunk of ice or hailstones to grow larger and larger. Once ice stones become too heavy for the updrafts to keep suspended...they fall to earth as hail. Thunderstorm updrafts which show signs of rotation on radar are very effective at suspending hail since the internal velocities in rotating updrafts are higher that those of non rotating updrafts.

...damaging wind…

Strong gusts of wind from a thunderstorm called downbursts or straight line wind, are another serious danger. These gusts of wind rush down from the sky sometimes reaching speeds in excess of 100 mph. Thunderstorm wind of this magnitude can impact large areas creating widespread damage. Damaging straight line winds can even cause damage equivalent to that of a tornado. Lines of well organized thunderstorms...called squall lines... Occasionally move across central North Carolina in the spring and early summer. These dangerous storm systems can be very explosive racing across the state at over 50 mph creating widespread wind damage over entire counties.

Damaging wind events in central North Carolina typically start as early as mid March and run into August. Damaging thunderstorm wind events are most notable from May through early August which is much longer than the typical severe hail season.

...safety...

You can protect yourself during thunderstorms by remembering this phrase…hide from the wind and lightning. Stay away from windows when storms approach and seek shelter in an interior bathroom or closet when the wind really starts to blow. Your best line of defense against severe thunderstorms...is to stay informed. There are so many great outdoor activities across the state of North Carolina and severe weather can bring a quick end to a days pleasure. Listen to NOAA weather radio, television or local radio for the latest forecasts and possible threat of thunderstorms and severe weather. If warnings are issued...take action and protect your family and property. Remember being safe is a lot better than being sorry.
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Member Comments Total Comments: 9
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deafasheck read my blog view my photos
Mar 3, 2008 | 11:01 AM

Hi very nicely written and concise.. I was a drummer for years as well as a weather awareness advocate..
deaf as heck now, though still play lol, Lude was too...
thanks for the weather sites and Info into it. ran across you from Emily's site..
Burlington_Rocker read my blog view my photos
Mar 4, 2008 | 8:38 AM

Tuesday’s topic will be lightning.
Lightning occurs with all thunderstorms and is what defines a thunderstorm. Central North Carolina faces dangers from lightning throughout the entire spring and summer. Over the course of one year, the earth will be struck by lightning nearly 20 million times. In a typical year there are around 500,000
lightning strikes in North Carolina resulting in around 9 to 12 strikes per square mile in Central North Carolina. Since 1959 there have been nearly 200 reported lightning deaths in North Carolina. Unfortunately this number is likely lower than the actual number of lightning deaths as many lightning deaths go unreported and are attributed to cardiac arrest. Nearly all lightning deaths are the result of cardiac arrest so knowing how to respond quickly using c.p.r. can save a lighting victims life.

Lightning results from the buildup and discharge of electrical energy between
positively and negatively charged particles. A thunderstorm builds up a huge electrical charge as ice particles inside the storm collide and through friction generate a static charge. These particles of suspended ice in the thunderstorm collide as they are carried around by the storm’ updraft and downdraft. Once the electrical charge is strong enough to travel from the cloud to the ground, a lightning bolt is created. A lightning bolt carries as much as 300000 amperes and one billion volts. The air around the lightning strike is instantly heated to 50,000 degrees.
This is five times hotter than the surface of the sun. This instantaneous heating of air around the lig
Burlington_Rocker read my blog view my photos
Mar 5, 2008 | 8:44 AM

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TORNADO DRILL TODAY 930 AM
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The annual Severe Weather Awareness Week tornado drill is today, Between 915 and 930am. National Weather Service offices all over the state of North Carolina will issue a test alert message over NOAA weather radio in the form of a required monthly test.
The drill is an opportunity for our schools, businesses and residents to practice their tornado safety plans. For those without
plans, this is the opportune time to sit down and develop a plan to protect you and your family.
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TODAY'S TOPIC IS TORNADOES
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Tornados are one of nature’s most violent phenomena. Tornado season typically starts in Spring in the months of March…April and May.
Tornadoes have touched down in the state in all months with the largest number of tornado related fatalities occurring in March. Other months with the highest numbers of tornado related fatalities include April…May and November. The two peak seasons for tornadoes in Central North Carolina are Spring and Fall. Violent tornadoes with winds in excess of 200 mph have struck the area as early as late March as in the case of the 1984 Red Spring Tornado and as late as November as was the case of 1988 Raleigh Tornado.

Just this past February the nation experienced the deadliest tornado outbreak to hit the country since 1985. Fifty seven lives were taken b
Burlington_Rocker read my blog view my photos
Mar 5, 2008 | 8:46 AM

continued from above...

Just this past February the nation experienced the deadliest tornado outbreak to hit the country since 1985. Fifty seven lives were taken by as many as 60 tornadoes which raced across Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri. Many of the fatalities occurred in mobile homes, automobiles and outdoors. Despite the tragic loss of life many individuals in the direct paths of the tornadoes survived. In many cases just a few minutes and seconds saved lives as people heeded the warnings and took cover. In several cases proper planning by schools officials
resulted in basketball games being stopped and attendees taking shelter in the hallways and designated safe areas within the schools. In one instance the gymnasium suffered significant damage and partial roof collapse where just minutes earlier over a thousand people were seated. When proper planning and action come together lives are saved.

Over the past 10 years...nearly 400 tornadoes have struck North Carolina resulting in numerous deaths, and hundreds of reported injuries. Tornadoes can be a real threat impacting the area nearly every year. Fortunately, most of tornadoes that strike the area are relatively weak and short lived. However, even weak tornadoes pack winds of 60 to 110 mph. A little over half of tornadoes in
our state have occurred between 3pm and 8pm, but tornadoes have touched down at all hours. The deadliest months for tornadoes are March and November with May coming third.
The majority of intense tornadoes with winds in excess of 150 mph have occurred in Central North
Burlington_Rocker read my blog view my photos
Mar 5, 2008 | 8:47 AM

continued still...

The majority of intense tornadoes with winds in excess of 150 mph have occurred in Central North Carolina where the population is the greatest. In essence a tornado is a violently rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground. Tornadoes can occur virtually any time of the year and any time of day or night. Most tornado deaths and injuries across the state have occurred outdoors, in automobiles, and mobile homes.
When a tornado warning is issued for your area or if you spot a tornado...seek shelter in a substantial building. The safest place is in an interior bathroom or closet. Put as many walls between you and the outside as possible. Stay away from windows as debris picked up by a tornado can easily shatter a window and enter your house.
If you are caught outdoors...seek shelter in a low spot like a ditch
or culvert. You want to get as low as possible to protect yourself
from all of the flying debris in a tornado. The debris within the
tornado is what causes nearly all of the injuries and deaths. If in
your car and threatened by a tornado...abandon your vehicle and seek shelter in a substantial structure or in a ditch. Never try to outrun a tornado in a vehicle. Tornadoes do not travel in straight lines and it
can be very difficult to determine what direction the tornado is
moving. Also never seek shelter from a tornado under an overpass. There is no safe place under and overpass. In fact seeking shelter under an overpass puts you more at risk from violent winds and flying debris.
The National Weather Service will issue

Burlington_Rocker read my blog view my photos
Mar 5, 2008 | 8:48 AM

contnued one last time... can't we get more than 2,000 characters per post??

The National Weather Service will issue tornado watches when conditions are favorable for thunderstorms to produce tornadoes.
Once a tornado is spotted or detected by radar...the National Weather Service will issue a tornado warning. Any time a tornado
warning is issued for your area...take action to protect your life as well as the lives of your family.
Burlington_Rocker read my blog view my photos
Mar 6, 2008 | 9:19 AM

Today's topic will be flooding.
Flooding and flood deaths are a serious nationwide problem. Nationwide flooding
causes more fatalities than any other type of severe weather. Several factors contribute to flooding. The two main factors are the intensity of rainfall and how long rain occurs over any given location. Urbanization…topography... soil type and soil moisture also play a role. Flooding in North Carolina can result from several different weather situations. Slow moving thunderstorms can repeatedly move over the same location.
Days of steady rain can cause creeks and rivers to rise. And thunderstorms moving across metropolitan areas can cause flooding due to the amount of runoff generated by urbanized areas. Rushing water in the form of a flash flood can quickly become deadly.
Just a few inches of fast-moving flood water can knock you off of your feet while just a foot or two of moving water can force a car off the road. In combination with the force of flowing water...water creates buoyancy.
Two feet of water will float most cars and wash them away. Most flood deaths occur in automobiles. When approaching water flowing over the road, turn around and go the other way. Don't drown...turn around.
Knowing your area's flood risk is also very important. Also Check your homeowner's or renter's insurance. Many policies do not cover flooding and many areas across North Carolina are subject to flooding although not officially
declared within a flood plain. Just because flood damage is not in your insurance policy does not mean your house cannot flood.
Before rain and f
Burlington_Rocker read my blog view my photos
Mar 6, 2008 | 9:21 AM

continued...

When flooding is possible, the National Weather Service will issue a Flood
Watch. This tells you to remain alert to the possibility of heavy rain and flooding. Once a flash flood warning is issued, then it is time to take action. When a warning is issued for your area, it means that flooding has been reported or is imminent. This is the time to closely monitor the situation and move
quickly if flood waters threaten. If advised to evacuate, do so immediately. Move to a safe location before access is cut off by flood waters. Never allow children to play around high water, creeks, streams or storm drains.
When heavy rain and flooding threatens your area, stay informed by listening to NOAA weather radio, local television and radio.
cindykay54 read my blog view my photos
Mar 9, 2008 | 4:15 PM

Thanks again BR for your posts....very informative.
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Burlington_Rocker

Born and Raised in Alamance County, I've lived in a few other places in the the triad area virtually my entire life, except for a 5-year stint in the US Army that took me to numerous places around the country and around the world. Music is my primary passion. I've seen so many live shows, too many to count. Bands like Ac/Dc, Kiss, Metallica, Dave Matthews, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Mike-E, Guns N Roses, Cinderella, Ted Nugent, the list goes on and on. I like everything from old 80's hair band stuff to new age Christian rock to jazz to classic country. I play drums at our church almost every Sunday, and am working on a couple of side musical projects. I am also a member of Triad Skywarn, the CoCoRaHS network, and a proud member of the Fox 8 Weather Watchers. If you want to learn more about any of those groups, feel free to ask me about them.

Member Since: 9/27/2006


 

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