Greetings everyone and thanks so much for stopping by. We may be in a bit of a “lull” for severe weather in the USA, but it’s temporary. Across North America, May is the peak month for tornado and severe weather activity and we’re certainly no where near the end of the peak months for severe weather events. On that note, let’s stay with our overview of tornado safety this week. As usual, we have the latest US Drought Monitor update along with other good science reads, so let’s get started.

Tornado Quest micro podcast for May 11 – 18, 2024

Thanks to careful forethought and exceptionally thorough planning, the recent massive solar flare did little to disrupt our daily lives. However, the future may have a different story.
Earthquakes are frequently connected with fault lines in the earth’s crust. But why do some powerful earthquakes occur far from these “normal” earthquake hot spots?
The USA has some of the most spectacular national parks in the world. But, in our changing climate, some of the hallmarks of these amazing parks are in danger.
Contrary to popular opinion, summer heat is far deadlier than winter cold. As a result of past statistics and clear patterns for the future, the medical hazards of summer heat are potentially lethal and must be addressed by the medical community to their patients.
ICYMI: Many who don’t know what a Tornado Emergency is don’t even know what a Tornado Warning means! Here’s a disconcerting read that addresses that issue.
Here’s the latest update on the US Drought Monitor. Substantial improvement has taken place across much of the contiguous USA thanks to recent thunderstorm rainfall. The latest fire weather outlooks can be found at the Storm Prediction Center website where they are updated daily.

TORNADO SAFETY

Let’s review very important and potentially life saving tornado safety guidelines. Here’s an excellent 20 page PDF document from the National Weather Service: “Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, Lightning…Nature’s Most Violent Storms.” NOAA has a very comprehensive page on what to do during a tornado warning. Here’s another detailed look at tornado safety you should read carefully. There are many misconceptions regarding taking shelter from a tornado. The following infographics should clear up any confusion.