Severe Weather Preparedness Week is still ongoing throughout Missouri and Kansas, and this article is intended to cover the themes for both yesterday and today: lightning, and wind & hail.
Severe weather is a near-constant companion of those who live in the Ozarks this time of year, and that can include a great many hazards. Lightning kills on average 28 people a year in the US, and while that number may seem small, the damage it can cause is no small thing. A person affected by a lightning strike can receive burns, both inside and outside of their body, it can cause cardiac arrest, and can even make a person appear deceased temporarily.
Remember during this time of year that if you can hear thunder, you are in range of lightning. If you’re caught outside, you should not stand underneath tall objects such as poles or trees, or stand on elevated ground. Lastly, seek shelter inside of a structure that is enclosed with a hard roof.
The next subject of this article is to address the Thursday theme: wind & hail damage. The National Weather Service has three classifications for hail: non-severe, severe, and significant severe. Hail within the non-severe category is what most are used to, and the damage it causes is minimal, if it is present at all. However, once hail exceeds “marble-sized”, which is roughly a 1/2 inch, damage becomes more obvious and present. Dents may be the result of this hail and will be present on roofs and vehicles. The biggest size in the NWS system is “Softball-sized” hail, which measures at 4 1/2 inches.
Wind damage, outside of tornadoes is often less noticeable until especially strong winds are present. This is especially true for the many in our listening area who live in the forests and hills of the Ozarks. The typical threshold for widespread wind damage to be present is when winds persistently are sustained at 40-50mph. During strong thunderstorms, some wind speeds can surpass 100mph, over double the initial damage threshold. High winds such as this can cause a lot of damage to both property and people. If you know a storm will be approaching, make sure to secure your items inside of a building, and to stay inside as well.
The last day for National Severe Weather Preparedness Week is tomorrow, and covers a sore topic for many who experienced some of the effects of severe weather of the past decade: flooding.
