Severe Weather occurs in Pennsylvania every year. See a graphic of ALL the (Convective) Severe Weather Events in PA during 2012. Each spring before the typical onset of the thunderstorm and flash flood season, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), County Emergency Management Officers and the National Weather Service (NWS) sponsor a week of Severe Weather Awareness and Preparedness. This year, the week of March 4th through March 8th, 2013 is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Pennsylvania. Severe Weather Awareness Week is a time to plan for thunderstorms...tornadoes....lightning and flash floods. Each day during this week will emphasize a different weather hazard and provide you with associated safety tips: On Monday, March 4th - the topic will be Tornadoes On Tuesday, March 5th - the topic will be Severe Thunderstorms      Also on Tuesday: Special Routine Weekly Tone (RWT) test for NOAA Weather Radios On Wednesday, March 6th - the topic will be Flash Flooding On Thursday, March 7th - the topic will be River Flooding On Friday, March 8th - the topic will be SkywarnTM Spotters

Today's Topic: Severe Thunderstorms!

Tuesday's Activities:

Click any Topic to Expand or Contract

	1. Test Severe Thunderstorm Warnings will be issued on NOAA Weather Radio during the morning! Click to see the schedule and Information about the Special Test Messages issued today.
To test the communication circuits and to update hazardous weather plans, the NWS will issue test Severe Thunderstorm Warnings via NOAA Weather Radio today. At the request of the FCC, no Text SVRCTP (Severe Thunderstorm Warning) test messages will be disseminated to the public. However, the Routine Weekly Test (RWT) messages will be sent today instead of Wednesday, which is usual day on which those tests are made. These special RWT messages issued today will carry TEST Severe Thunderstorm Wording in them. All TEST warnings during the Weather Awareness week will be aired on NOAA Weather Radio (NWR), the voice of the National Weather Service, as code "RWT" (Routine Weekly Test) for the EAS/NWRSAME automated-encoding system. Make sure you have your NWRSAME-enabled receiver programmed properly to receive this test message. If you already receive the RWT coded test messages, you should not need to do anything further to receive this special test. NOAA Weather Radio is an "all hazards" radio network, making it the single source for the most comprehensive weather and emergency information available to the public. NOAA Weather Radio also broadcasts warning and post-event information for all types of hazards - both natural (such as earthquakes and volcano activity) and technological (such as chemical releases or oil spills). NWRs are inexpensive and can be purchased at a variety of locations such as your local electronics store or over the Internet.

	2. Statewide Emergency Management drills and scenarios will be held -- All Day. Contact your local Emergency Management Office for more details. (Link)
If you are interested in knowing more about the drills that may be going on in your community, contact your local EMA Office. You may use this List of All Emergency Management Coordinators.

	3. Learn about Thunderstorms.
Thuderstorm - A rain-bearing cloud that also produces lightning. All thunderstorms are dangerous. Every thunderstorm produces lightning. In the United States, an average of 300 people are injured and 80 people are killed each year by lightning. Although most lightning victims survive, people struck by lightning often report a variety of long-term, debilitating symptoms. Other associated dangers of thunderstorms include tornadoes, strong winds, hail, and flash flooding. Flash flooding is responsible for more fatalities—more than 140 annually—than any other thunderstorm-associated hazard. Dry thunderstorms that do not produce rain that reaches the ground are most prevalent in the western United States. Falling raindrops evaporate, but lightning can still reach the ground and can start wildfires. Facts About Thunderstorms They may occur singly, in clusters, or in lines. Some of the most dangerous thuderstorms occur when a single thunderstorm affects one location for an extended time. Thunderstorms typically produce heavy rain for a brief period, anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. Warm, humid conditions are highly favorable for thunderstorm development. Usually, thunderstorms Facts About Lightning Lightning’s unpredictability increases the risk to individuals and property. Lightning often strikes outside of the heavy rain in the thunderstorm and may occur as far as 10 miles away from any rainfall. "Heat lightning" is actually lightning from a thunderstorm too far away for thunder to be heard. However, the storm may be moving in your direction! Most lightning deaths and injuries occur when people are caught outdoors in the summer months during the afternoon and evening. Your chances of being struck by lightning are estimated to be 1 in 600,000, but could be reduced even further by following safety precautions. Lightning strike victims themsleves carry no electrical charge and should be attended to immediately. Above information borrowed and edited from FEMA publication: http://www.fema.gov/hazard/thunderstorm/index.shtm

	4. What is a Severe Thunderstorm?
A Severe Thunderstorm produces hail at least one inch in diameter, and/or has winds of 58 miles per hour or higher, and/or produces a tornado. The State College NWS Office will issue Statements (including Outlooks, Watches and Warnings) for situations where the following is expected: Thunderstorm Threats Severe Thunderstorm RISK Terminology (used in Hazardous Weather Outlooks) SLIGHT RISK: Severe thunderstorms are expected to be few or isolated. MODERATE RISK: Severe thunderstorms are expected to be more organized, numerous, or widespread. HIGH RISK: Severe thunderstorms with the potential for tornadoes, damaging windstorms, and/or large hail are expected SEVERE THUNDERSTORM or TORNADO WATCH Severe thunderstorms with large hail, damaging winds, and/or tornadoes are possible, but the exact time and location of storm development is still uncertain. A watch means be prepared for storms. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING A severe thunderstorm is imminent or occurring; it is either detected by weather radar or reported by storm spotters. A severe thunderstorm is one that produces winds 58 mph or stronger and/or hail 1 inch in diameter or larger. A warning means to take shelter. TORNADO WARNING A tornado is imminent or occurring; it is either detected by weather radar or reported by storm spotters. A warning means to take shelter. FLOOD WATCH Conditions are favorable for flash flooding. A watch means to get prepared for possible flooding. FLASH FLOOD WARNING Life-threatening flooding is imminent or occurring; it is either detected by weather radar, indicated by stream gauges, or reported by storm spotters. A flash flood is a flood that occurs very quickly; it is caused by heavy rainfall over a short period of time or from a dam break. A warning means to leave low-lying or flood prone areas.

	5. Review Safety Rules.
When a thunderstorm threatens... * Get inside a home, large building, or an all-metal (not convertible) automobile. * Do not use the telephone except for emergencies. * Do not stand underneath a natural lightning rod such as a tall, isolated tree or a telephone pole. * Avoid projecting above the surrounding landscape; for example, do not stand on a hilltop. * In a forest, seek shelter under a thick growth of small trees. In open areas, go to a low place such as a ravine or valley. * Get away from: open water, tractors and other metal farm equipment, and mall metal vehicles such as motorcycles, bicycles, and golf carts. * Avoid wire fences, clotheslines, metal pipes and rails; put down golf clubs. * Finally, if you are caught outside in a level field or in the open, away from shelter, and you feel your hair stand on end, lightning may be about to strike you. Drop to your knees and bend forward, putting your hands on your knees. Do not lie flat on the ground. See the following page of Safety Tips from the NWS Office in Norman, OK: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/?n=safety-severe-stayingsafe Why Highway Overpasses are NOT a safe place to escape harm during a severe storm or tornado!! Owlie SkywarnTM Weather Safety for Kids! (pdf document)

	6. Have a Safety Plan!
A Guide to DEVELOPING A SEVERE WEATHER EMERGENCY PLAN FOR SCHOOLS.     Use the following checklist for the evaluation or design of a severe weather safety plan for your school. The plan should be designed so that teachers and students anywhere on the school grounds can be quickly alerted and follow a preset plan of action to maximize safety. Who is responsible for activating the plan? Is there a back-up person? What is/are the primary means of receiving severe weather information?  NOAA Weather Radio with an alert feature is recommended What method do you employ to alert teachers and students?  Is there a back-up that does not require electricity? Make provisions for the following problem areas: Students that are in mobile classrooms away from the main building and disconnected from an intercom system. Students that are in the cafeteria or gymnasium during the storm. Any students with disabilities who may be in a position to either not hear the warning or be able to respond to it on their own accord. Assign a teacher to each student who needs special attention to ensure that the student arrives at a place of safety. Students who are outside, including after-school activities. Remember, if you hear thunder, it is time to take action. Also, students who are outside are at risk from the dangers of large hail and severe thunderstorm winds. Five main problems for schools in a tornado: Forces caused by winds and the airflow around the building. Forces caused by other objects (debris) impacting school walls. Pressure differences caused by a tornado (secondary to first two). Gas leaks and electrical hazards after the storm. Have someone knowledgeable in turning off gas and electricity at the school during school hours. "Wind Tunnel Effect" - When blown by tornado-strength winds, debris (such as fragments of glass, wood, and metal) can cause serious injury when accelerated by relatively narrow hallways in schools. Other thunderstorm hazards: Are you prepared? Lightning may pose a threat well before strong winds/rain affect the area. Athletic teams out on open fields need to be especially cautious. Large hail - the largest hail usually occurs near the most dangerous area of the storm for the development of tornadoes. Large hail can break windows. Heavy rains/flooding - Are there flood-prone area near the school? Damaging "straight-line" winds - A thunderstorm does not have to produce a tornado to pose a threat to schools and students. Safest places to be in a school: (assuming no underground shelter) Interior hallway on the lowest level. Away from windows. If possible get in a hallway that is at a right angle to the approaching tornado's path (to avoid the wind tunnel effect). In a small room, such as a bathroom, surrounded by load-bearing walls. In a room without small objects that can serve as projectiles. Some other aspects of designing a plan: Practice your plan. Have drills semi-annually (Fall and Spring). Include Severe Weather Safety Instruction as part of the drill period. Encourage teachers and administrators to develop a plan for their families at home. The knowledge that their families know what to do at home will enable them to focus their attention on the students. The American Red Cross has brochures on developing a "Family Protection Plan." Educate school administrators about the structure of severe thunderstorms and the basic sequence of events as a storm approaches. Explain the concepts of rotating wall clouds and the preferred locations for these features within the storm. (Attend the NWS SKYWARN severe spotter training class - no fee). Emphasize the variability that may exist with each storm and the need to understand basic storm structure to assist in determining the degree of threat at a school. For optimum planning purposes, an engineer and a member of the local school board should participate in the design of an emergency plan. Encourage administrators to contact the nearest National Weather Service Office or Local Emergency Services Coordinator for assistance in answering ANY questions that may arise in developing a plan.