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Severe WX Severe Weather Awareness Week 2/19-24th 2017

Lori

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Governor Robert Bentley has declared February 19-24th, 2017, as Severe Weather Awareness Week in Alabama. The National Weather Service, the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, and other supporting organizations ask for your help in providing the public with information about severe weather safety. Advance planning and increased awareness will help residents of Alabama survive these deadly storms.


I'm sorry, I'm late getting to this, I hope all members (and guests) will look over this information and use it for your safety and to inform others. Even if you're not living in the state of Alabama, you will get excellent information concerning severe storms!!

Please stay safe!!

http://www.weather.gov/bmx/outreach_feb2017

I'd also like to hear from each of you, as in what is your source of receiving weather warnings and some examples of what you and your family do when there is dangerous weather in your area.

I think it's an excellent idea (and I think MichelleH posted this on FB) to make sure you wear or have shoes available when you take shelter due to walking around debris. I'm a firm believer in helmets as there is proof (I'll have to find the link) they can help in preventing head injuries.
 
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WesL

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One of the things that I was so glad to hear Lauren Nash with NWS Huntsville mention this week during the SkyWarn event at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center was the NEED to have multiple forms of notifications. The other thing that made me happy was her calling out that OUTDOOR weather sirens are designed to be heard OUTDOORS. I can't count how many times people have said that they didn't hear a siren in their home in the middle of the night.

Personally I use the following methods.

Weather Radio at home (I also carry a hand crank/solar version in my backpack for when I travel)
Baron ThreatNet app
WHNT Weather app
and of course I've made sure that NWS mobile alerts to my phone are on.

I also think it is important to remember to switch off wi-fi to your phone when storms are approaching. I've experienced times where I was unaware my internet has gone down but because I was still on wi-fi I didn't get mobile app alerts but did get the NWS Mobile Alert and WX Radio alert.
 

WesL

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I think this thread got locked by accident. I've unlocked it. Thanks for the notes.
 

HazardousWx

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Right. All methods are susceptible to failure. Cellular, sirens, weather radios, weather radio transmitters, etc. The odds of multiple going down at the same time are much less.
 

PerryW

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Governor Robert Bentley has declared February 19-24th, 2017, as Severe Weather Awareness Week in Alabama.
I'd also like to hear from each of you, as in what is your source of receiving weather warnings and some examples of what you and your family do when there is dangerous weather in your area.
.

Since I'm now retired/ living in a nursing facility, my #1 source of recieving weather warnings is text message (but I'm usually already aware of approaching severe storms thanks to my internet weather radar, Twitter wx warnings, etc). We also have a VERY loud tornado warning siren outside that will wake the dead. I'm located on the Emory University campus, and they take severe weather seriously.

Before I retired, I utilized NOAA Weather radio at work (we had one in the guard shack and another in the shipping office); I always kept a portable police scanner in my vehicle with NOAA wx radio (I also recieved many reports of severe weather from local sheriff departments, fire/ rescue in the county where I lived and counties to my southwest).

At home, I had:
NOAA WX radio,
Atlanta TV news/ weather (WAGA TV)
internet (warnings, radar, etc)
my base police scanner
 

Kory

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I should really develop a plan for sheltering during a tornado. My problem is my apartment complex is open underneath where parking is. There is no "lowest" level because that is exposed. Likely, I would just go to UA's campus when a watch is issued....but that really doesn't work for late night/early morning threats.

As far as receiving warnings, I'm usually glued to a radar during events, so I usually know what is coming well ahead of time.
 

MichelleH

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The only "safe space" we have in our house is our bathroom in the center of the house that doesn't have windows. We it gets really bad, we all crowd in there with the plan to try to all cram in the bathtub if we were about to take a direct hit. Now, my mother and I aren't that big, and of course our little chihuahua Cisco, is well, little. But my son is 6'9" and weighs 300 lbs. (also wears size 17 shoes!) so I'm praying it never gets that bad. LOL

As for getting warnings, we all have Saf-T Net on our phones (and although we don't rely on them, you can hear 3 tornado sirens from my house, one of which is pretty close and very LOUD.) Plus, like Kory, if there is a severe weather event, usually no matter the time, I am going to be in what I call "weather central" manning the laptop and phone.
 
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Lori

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The only "safe space" we have in our house is our bathroom in the center of the house that doesn't have windows. We it gets really bad, we all crowd in there with the plan to try to all cram in the bathtub if we were about to take a direct hit. Now, my mother and I aren't that big, and of course our little chihuahua Cisco, is well, little. But my son is 6'9" and weighs 300 lbs. (also wears size 17 shoes!) so I'm praying it never gets that bad. LOL

As for getting warnings, we all have Saf-T Net on our phones (and although we don't rely on them, you can hear 3 tornado sirens from my house, one of which is pretty close and very LOUD.) Plus, like Kory, if there is a severe weather event, usually no matter the time, I am going to be in what I call "weather central" manning the laptop and phone.

Tell that boy to lay on top of y'all in that tub and cover himself with a mattress!! Just don't squish Cisco!!
 
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Lori

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Bumping up to make sure everyone goes over their severe wx plans.....it's dangerous west of the Dixie Alley and going to be quite severe the next few days in the Alley....stay safe y'all!!
 
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