Illinois Severe Weather Preparedness: Weather Hazards

 

As Illinois Severe Weather Preparedness week continues it's important to understand the types of weather hazards that occur with thunderstorms: tornadoes, hail, lightning, wind and flooding.  All of these hazards can not only be very destructive, but they can also be very deadly.  Even when a storm is not considered 'severe' the lightning with the storm can be very dangerous.

In order for a thunderstorm to be considered severe,

certain criteria must first be met.  Hail stones reaching a quarter size in diameter (one inch) and wind speeds over 58 mph help to classify a storm as severe.  The larger the hail stone and/or stronger the wind, the stronger the thunderstorm.  There is no criteria for a storm that has heavy rainfall or frequent lightning to be considered severe, but still those storms can be very dangerous.  Heavy rain can lead to flash flooding which is the second leading cause of weather related fatalities, following heat.

Whenever you hear thunder or storms are close by, it's important to seek shelter until the storm has passed.  If you can hear the thunder, you are close enough to get struck by lightning.  Remember the saying, 'When thunder roars, go indoors'.