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I started writing this blog on May 19^th. The following is a brief preface before my original entry.

Another devastating tornado has claimed lives. At the time of writing this blog more than 100 people are confirmed dead in Joplin, Missouri. This latest round of severe weather rattles me. It bothers me because I have been through the town and I know the area, and I know that more severe weather is in the forecast for the plains. It is chilling to see the destruction and think that it could have been here. It has happened before and it will happen again.

May 19^th:

Seeing videos and hearing accounts of the storms that ripped across the south in April is heart breaking. The sights stir many emotions in me that range from great sorrow to great frustration. First of all, I feel for the families that had their lives shredded apart by the storms, storms that excite an interest in me. As a meteorology student in college my classmates and I would go crazy at the sight of a rotating storm and I would be lying if I didn’t say that I feel a rush from covering severe storms on TV. To see these storms that we as meteorologists are fascinated with, shred people’s life apart, is very difficult. These storms cause millions of dollars in damage and rip families apart. I never thought that I would see an outbreak that would take 300+ lives. That isn’t supposed to happen in this day and age…

                In 1974, the Super Outbreak claimed more than 300 lives. This number was a bench mark for years and while it is a very large number…I can wrap my mind around it. After all it was before things like smart phones, sophisticated warning systems, Doppler radar, internet, weather radios, text alerts, Twitter, and Facebook. They didn’t have the arsenal of tools that we have today. Tools that save lives! But these tools only go so far, they tell you what is about to happen and then it is up to you. Today’s blog entry is all about awareness. We will discuss various tools that you can use to keep you and your family safe when storms strike.

                One of the best options in our toolbox is the weather radio. Great improvements have been made to this device that used to drive users completely mad.  The weather radios of old were obnoxious boxes that went off for every watch and warning that was sent out from the tower. Today you only have to listen to watches and warnings for your county thanks to easy county code programming. It is like a smoke detector for storms, it goes off when something is about to happen and the rest of the time it just sits their silently. The devices are easy to use and are relatively inexpensive (base model starts at about $30). If you only want to hear specific warnings you can spend a little more green on the Midland WR-300 get a weather radio that filters out unwanted warnings. Midland now offers portable weather radios that can be programmed if you are away from your desktop model. Don’t let the thought of programming your weather radio scare you away from buying one. On our website we have a video that walks you through the entire process.

If you are looking for even more convenience you can get warnings sent to your phone via text messaging. This service is free through our website. These alerts can be configured for your specific county. The alerts that get sent out are not limited to severe weather. Everything from frost and wind advisories to flood and tornado warnings will show up on your phone. If the thought of getting a text alert at 2:30am for a frost watch turns you off, there are other options. For smart iPhone users, apps like iMapWeather Radio offer watches and warnings that can be filtered. Apps like this one are GPS based so you don’t have to put in your location. You can also filter the alerts that you don’t want to hear. If you are a fan of the HTC or Blackberry The Weather Channel has you covered with different apps that offer alerts and weather information.

Using one of these alerts is great, using two is even better. Multiple alert methods will help ensure that you get the warning. Relying on outdoor warnings sirens is a very poor choice for advanced notification. Why use “Cold War” technology? The sirens were made to alert you if you are outside and in today’s modern insulated home with the air conditioner running, it is unlikely that you will hear them. You should not put your trust into a device that can easily malfunction or be knocked offline when power fails.

Personally I don’t care where you get your warning from; I just care what you do when you get your warning. Your best chance of survival is in a basement or safe room, if you don’t have either avoid windows and use an interior closet or bathroom. Don’t become a statistic because you want to capture the thing on camera, instead take cover, stay informed, and stay safe.

 

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