Tonando Season is Here
With the damage the ice storm caused to several trees last winter, the last thing you want to hear is that tornado season is here. Unfortunately it is, and actually it is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Nebraska, April 7 – 11th. It has been a very active tornado and severe storm season all of 2008. There have been several tornadoes and torrential rains throughout the United States this year. Several meteorologists are predicting an active severe storm season in Nebraska in 2008. We have actually had tornadoes in Nebraska in December before, so the important thing is to always be aware of the dangers of tornadoes.
Are you ready for a tornado? Do you know what to do if a tornado is headed your way? With severe weather beginning, it's time to be prepared for tornadoes. This time of year when we have extreme fluctuations in air temperatures, we are very vulnerable to severe weather, including tornadoes in our area.
What are some things we should do to be prepared for a possible tornado? First, you need to have a place in your home where family members can gather if a tornado is headed your way. It could be in your basement or else in a center hallway, bathroom or closet on the lowest floor if there is no basement. If you are in a high-rise building, go to a place in a hallway in the center of the building, you may not have time to go to the lowest floor. Your place of work should also have a tornado plan. If you are unaware of it, find out what it is.
If there are storm warnings issued for your area, listen to your local radio and TV stations for updated storm information. You need to know the difference between a tornado WATCH and WARNING. A tornado WATCH means a tornado is possible in your area. A tornado WARNING means a tornado has been sighted and may be headed for your area. Go to safety immediately. If a tornado WATCH is issued, listen to your radio and TV and be alert to changing weather conditions. Environmental clues that indicate a tornado may be developing include: a dark, often greenish sky, a wall cloud approaching and large hail. Blowing debris may also be a sign of an approaching tornado. People say a tornado sounds like a freight train. If a tornado WARNING is issued go to the safe place you picked to protect yourself from glass and flying objects. If you are outside, hurry to the basement of a nearby sturdy building or lie flat in a ditch or low-lying area. If you are in a car or mobile home, get out immediately and head for safety as described above. After the tornado passes, watch out for fallen power lines and listen to the radio for information and instructions. Use a flashlight to inspect the damage, never use candles! A gas line may have ruptured, leaving highly combustible natural gas or propane in the area.
The most important thing is to be prepared for a tornado and don’t take the threat of a tornado lightly. The destruction and devastation from tornadoes can be unbelievable. If you have questions about tornadoes or other issues of agronomy, agriculture or horticulture, contact me at the University of Nebraska Extension office in Nemaha County at 1824 ‘N’ St. in Auburn (402) 274-4755.
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