Thursday, April 22, 2010 5:01 am
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A STRONG UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE OUT OF THE SOUTHERN PLAINS ON FRIDAY AND BRING A CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE MID STATE AS EARLY AS FRIDAY NIGHT. BY EARLY SATURDAY...SOME STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE...AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE...WITH THE THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER CONTINUING THROUGHOUT THE DAY ON SATURDAY. ANY SEVERE STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS. THERE IS ALSO THE POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES SINCE THERE WILL BE LARGE AMOUNTS OF WIND ENERGY AND WIND SHEAR IN THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE.
NOW IS THE TIME TO THINK ABOUT WHERE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WILL GO SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER APPROACH YOUR AREA.
TORNADO SAFETY RULES
1. IN HOMES OR SMALL BUILDINGS, GO TO THE BASEMENT OR TO AN INTERIOR ROOM, SUCH AS A CLOSET OR BATHROOM, ON THE LOWEST LEVEL. GET UNDER SOMETHING STURDY SUCH AS A HEAVY TABLE OR A BED.
2. IN MOBILE HOMES AND VEHICLES, ABANDON THEM AND GO TO A STURDY STRUCTURE. IF THERE IS NO SUCH STRUCTURE NEARBY, LIE FLAT IN A DITCH, RAVINE, GULLY, CULVERT OR LOW SPOT WITH YOUR ARMS AND HANDS SHIELDING YOUR HEAD.
3. IN LARGE BUILDINGS, SUCH AS SCHOOLS, FACTORIES, HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES AND SHOPPING CENTERS, GO TO THE PREDESIGNATED SHELTER AREA. INTERIOR HALLWAYS ON THE LOWEST FLOOR ARE USUALLY BEST. STAY AWAY FROM ROOMS THAT ARE LARGE IN AREA BECAUSE THEY HAVE WEAKLY SUPPORTED ROOFS.
4. IN HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS, GO TO AN INTERIOR SMALL ROOM OR HALLWAY.
5. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. DON'T BOTHER OPENING OR CLOSING THEM. IT WON'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE TO THE STRUCTURE AND YOU'LL JUST WASTE TIME OR PUT YOURSELF AT RISK SHOULD GLASS BREAK AS YOU ARE NEAR.