Inside Your Home
It can be hard to pinpoint the best place to be during severe weather. Because in some instances, your best choice can vary case-by-case, or where you are in the moment with sometimes little time to make a decision, the time of day, and what the severe weather happens to be. However there are generally wo best options. They are either a well built storm shelter and second is a well built house. Especially one with a basement. The way I like to tell people this is: put as many walls between you and the outside as possible. This way, you generally make it more difficult for what severe weather throws at you to actually reach you. There is a lot of misinformation out there on where to go and what to do while inside your home. Do not waste your time opening windows, or worrying about stuff. Get yourself, your loved ones, and a NOAA weather radio and get to your best place before the tornado strikes. Remember it is best to find the center-most room, in the lowest level of your home. More information right here and in the corresponding picture below. Lesser known, it may also be wise to wear a bicycle helmet. Flying debris causing head injuries and deaths happen every year.
Tornado House Safety
What About A Car?
Being in a vehicle during severe thunderstorms is safer than being outside; however, drive to the closest secure shelter if there is sufficient time. A car can protect you from strong winds and hail directly. However, it is not safe from flying debris, downed trees/powerlines, and tornadoes.
What About A Mobile Home?
40% of tornado deaths are related to mobile homes
Being inside or under a mobile home is not a safe option during a tornado. People in mobile homes are almost 2500% more likely to die in a tornado than people who are in permanent homes. This is something we must understand because 17.7 million Americans or just over 5% of the country’s population lives in a mobile home. You will need to find another option, like going to the nearest shelter. Better yet, into a well designed storm shelter that may be installed in your mobile home park. If you or you know someone who has a difficult time going to safe shelter, have a plan in place to help each other in order to get to where you need to go. In fact a mobile home is among the worst places to be during a tornado because mobile homes are not designed to withstand the force of a tornado or even straight-line winds. Remember, it is important to leave a mobile home and find safe shelter.
What if I am caught outside?
It is severe weather awareness week here at Praedictix, let us now go over some information if you are caught outside. Go inside a sturdy building immediately if severe thunderstorms are approaching. Sheds and storage facilities are not safe. Taking shelter under a tree can be deadly. The tree may fall on you. Standing under a tree also put you at a greater risk of getting struck by lightning.
Who is Praedictix? It is severe weather awareness week here at Praedictix but we do so much more. We are a weather company that focuses on delivering credible weather forecasts to our clients. We have three main offerings: media, weather graphics, and weather consulting. Media: With two HD studios, we’re able to create professional weather forecast videos for use in television, social media, apps, and websites. Our forecasts are tailored to our clients’ brand. Our content ranges from national to hyperlocal forecasts and air all over the country. Weather Graphics: We have access to a robust weather dataset which allows us to create high customizable, HD weather maps and graphics for use in television, digital signage, social media, and websites. Our white-label graphics allow our clients to push their own brands and sponsors. Consulting: We lend our weather expertise to our clients to help with risk mitigation and business optimization by way of conference calls, emails, and briefings. We also have a forensic meteorology team that specializes in forensic weather analysis and expert testimony. Click right HERE to learn more about us or contact us for your weather needs.
Joe Hansel
Lead Broadcast Meteorologist
Joe graduated with a bachelor’s in meteorology with a minor in mathematics from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. He also interned at Studio One in UND while earning awards as a student broadcaster and teaching assistant along the way. During summers off from college, Joe was the weather intern for the KSTP weather team based in the Twin Cities. Joe then worked as the morning meteorologist for 2 years at KCWY in Casper, Wyoming; then 4 years as the morning meteorologist at WSJV in South Bend-Elkhart, IN. There, Joe became a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) through the American Meteorological Society and still owns the earned seal.