This shelf cloud is the leading edge of a severe thunderstorm. Cool sinking air pushes out ahead of the storm, lifting warm, moist air in its path. This storm will produce heavy rain, a very good possibility for hail, and strong, gusty straight-line winds. Image by DerTobiSturmjagd
Severe Weather Forecasts—Stay Informed
After a boating accident in severe weather resulting in lost lives, commenters on social media were quick to blame the government, local weather forecasters, and the lack of a warning system on a popular lake.
One comment, with thousands of reactions and comments, lamented, “A warning would have saved lived Why wasn’t anyone informed?”
And the sad answer to that comment is too simple: No one paid attention to the warning.
There are resources at your disposal that only require you to make use of them. You won’t find much glitz and sparkle, only important information that could keep your family safe.
Growing up near Lake Michigan gave us another opportunity for fun, but it came with responsibility. If we wanted to go out, we had to know the weather, including storm risk, wave height & length, and abnormal currents. We didn’t have the internet, just the marine forecast. No weather info meant no boat key, and disappointed friends/girlfriends.
There’s a tongue-in-cheek joke about the Midwest with many variations, but they amount to: ‘The tornado siren means send the kids to the basement before you go outside to take video.’ A recent video taken by a guy who is shouting to his wife and kids amid the roaring of a tornado as it rips his roofing off along with the branches from trees and breaks utility poles across the street, sending him diving for cover (or blown off his feet.)
It’s hard to resist. Better to skip the video and social media fame by staying with your family in a safe place.
Remember
Watch = Be aware. You could be in danger.
Warning = Take Action Now! Get to your safe place.
Get an NOAA Weather Radio
You cannot overstate the usefulness of an NOAA Weather Radio. As long as you are within hearing distance, it will alert you to any emergency, not just the weather. Unlike a phone alert that requires app notifications and cell towers, the NWR transmits on dedicated frequencies that keep working when traffic jams cell networks, overloads them, or the tower is down or damaged.
National Weather Radio receivers use SAME (Specific Area Message Encoding) technology. SAME lets you program the radio to your specific country via a code, so it only sounds warnings that actually affect you. When the NWS issues a warning, the radio switches on (if the warning applies to your county) and blares the FCC alert warning, then broadcasts the alert at full volume. It will wake you up.
The NWR network covers about 95 percent of the U.S. population using over 1000 transmitters, each with a broadcast radius of 25-40 miles, depending on terrain.
Get a National Weather Radio for Home
Ideally, with a battery backup so it keeps working during power outages. That way, you know about the tornado coming even if the storm that spawned it knocked out the power before it formed. The FCC alert will wake most people out of the deepest sleep.
Get a Portable Radio Too
A Portable NWR extends the same protection when you’re away from home. Portable models may include some nice features that come in handy. Large batteries that can charge a cell phone, lights, hand cranks for power if the battery runs out, and small solar panels that will add enough charge to get you through the night. These are as useful at home as on the road.
Program the radio for your area. Never be caught unaware again.
The National Weather Radio Network is an “All Hazards” network that works with the FCC’s Emergency Alert System. Besides weather-related watches and warnings, the radio provides information on other hazards, including civil and national emergency warnings.
Available in portable and stationary models.
- Portable: $15 to $50 and up.
- Stationary: $23 and up.
Make sure the radio you buy for home includes the FIPS codes that allow you to program it for your county.
NOAA Storm Prediction Center for Advance Warning
It’s not an app. Learning to ingest the information is simple. One or two visits to the website and you’ll get it. The SPC has a wealth of publicly available information for anyone who is paying attention. Bookmark these webpages or add them to your home screen. The Mobile Browser version is less friendly than the Desktop Browser, which also works on your phone, but you’ll have to pinch and zoom. You’ll find the desktop version more useful whether on your phone or personal computer.
Convective Outlooks
These are very easy to understand. Color-shaded maps let you see at a glance whether your county falls inside a risk area days before a system even forms. The SPC updates the maps multiple times a day for up to eight days in advance. The convective outlooks are easy to understand at a glance, and the categorical color shading is intuitive. You’ll know at a glance whether your severe weather risk is none to High. See the color chart for explanations.
NOAA NWS Categorical Outlook Risk categories. NOAA Graphic. Tap or Click for larger image. Close tab to return.
Mesoscale Discussions
Localized products usually issued 1-4 hours before forecasters expect to issue watches or warnings. They include a map with the location and area affected along with the expected hazards. The accompanying discussion provides an insight to what forecasters see in the data they are receiving.
Usefullness: You know what’s coming and can prepare instead being surprised by an approaching weather system.
This Mesoscale Discussion Map includes a discussion of what the forecaster sees as a potential for the circled area. The discussion is the same format used for all weather alerts. Plain text that describes the areas affected, the level of concern, including the possibility of a watch or warning. Forecasters issue Mesoscale Discussions 1-4 hours ahead of the weather system’s arrival, with frequent updates.
Put Mesoscale Discussions together with a Convective Outlook. Check the convective outlook in the morning, and if your area is at risk, stay on top of the weather by watching the mesoscale discussions.
When you’re in the habit of checking the SPC every day, you won’t ever be caught by surprise. Information that is ahead of the apps gives you time to prepare.
The National Weather Service: Drop the Sensationalized Weather App
Did you know that every Watch, Warning, and forecast that appears on TV or weather app gets its information from the National Weather Service?
Using primary sources of information matters, and for good reasons.
- No incentive to inflate. Weather apps and news outlets compete for viewers and clicks. While they probably won’t outright lie to you, they often use drama to inflate the danger. They keep your attention with headlines that hides the actual risk—inflating a Marginal or Slight risk into the storm of the century. NWS doesn’t have to chase ratings and focuses the language they use on facts and forecast confidence.
- Precision over Drama. NWS uses specific and consistent terminology that communicates risks accurately instead of trying to hold your attention.
- It’s the Source. Going to weather.gov or your local NWS office page or social account gets you the forecaster’s reasoning, usually with a plain-language discussion. The “Breaking News” flashing in red letters had to pass a producer’s scrutiny and compete with other stories. Remember, the app’s or national news outlet’s goal is profit.
To be clear, local news forecasters are not the enemy. It is the free weather apps and national weather outlets that rely on sensationalism to increase engagement. Local forecasters take pride in making their information easily digestible with accurate information.
Using NWS forecasts isn’t about tuning out local weather reports. It’s about staying in the loop and having a good handle on the weather—before the weather happens. How many times a day do you watch the local weather report?
Did you know? When meteorologists say there is a 50% change rain, that doesn’t mean it might rain, it means it will rain on 50% of the forecast area. It could be partly sunny at your house, and two blocks away it is raining.
The FEMA App – Not Just for Disasters
Every smartphone should come with this app installed and enabled.
The FEMA App provides real-time alerts from the NWS and from IPAWS (Integrated Public Alert and Warning System). It allows you to monitor up to five zip codes, so you can monitor your family’s locations with up to 116 alerts for different weather and emergency types. Very useful for filtering out the alerts that don’t matter to you.
Note: The FEMA app does not use your live location. It only sends you alerts for the locations you set.
The FEMA App is also a wealth of information on staying prepared or how to handle an emergency, and other important information you should know.
There is also information about finding shelters, applying for assistance after a disaster, disaster related FAQs, disaster declarations both current and archived, News, and other information.
The app is easy to use. Enter the zip codes for five locations and received alerts on those locations.
Staying Informed is Your Responsibility
The real truth is that the warning is almost always there.
- The Storm Prediction Center points out the risk in your area several days before the risk arrives, with Mesoscale Discussions to keep you up ahead of the weather all day.
- The NOAA Weather Radio wakes you up in the middle of the night to warn of a tornado or lets you know a severe storm is about it hit.
- The FEMA app provides up to the minute alerts on just about everything.
- The NWS explains in plain terms what is happening at any specific moment.
The information is right there at your fingertips—If only you filter out the noise and pay attention to it.
Add these tools to your routine and you’ll never be unaware of the severe weather headed your way again.
Be Prepared
Peace of mind: A standby generator is automatic. It restores power just seconds after the power goes out. It keeps the fridge and freezer cold, the house comfortable, and even keeps your internet connected. Safe. Reliable. Automatic.
Budget Friendly: Portable Generators for Home Backup cost less, but they are not automatic. Do yourself a favor and install a manual transfer switch to make connection safe and quick. Always follow Portable Generator Safety Rules.
