Greetings to everyone! This week, we’ll continue our focus on severe weather preparedness. This week’s post contains more severe weather weather safety infographics with a focus on understanding your severe weather forecast and doppler radar. There are also several new, interesting stories to review, so let’s get started.
- Fantastic view of the weather on another planet! “Watch This Awesome Video of Clouds Drifting Across the Martian Sky.”
- As if the annual danger from mosquitoes wasn’t bad enough. “Light pollution drives increased risk of West Nile virus.”
- This should come as no surprise. “Climate fight ‘is undermined by social media’s toxic reports.’” The challenge is the fact that social media often creates an environment where it’s very difficult for the layperson to distinguish facts from fiction.
- Very thought provoking climate read. “It’s not too late for Australia to forestall a dystopian future that alternates between Mad Max & Waterworld.”
- Lightning Rises Sharply in the Arctic. In fact, Arctic lightning has tripled in the last decade alone.
- NOAA has released their outlook for the rest of spring 2021. Among the details, drought conditions are expected to persist across much of the western contiguous USA.
- The latest US Drought Monitor has been issued. As you can see from the map below, 36.4% of the USA and 43.55% of the contigous 48 states are experiencing drought conditions this week.
SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
- Let’s start with an excellent two-page printable PDF file from NOAA that covers the basics of severe weather safety.
- Highway overpasses are often mistaken as a safe haven from severe weather and especially tornadoes. NOTHING ABOUT THIS MYTH IS REMOTELY CONNECTED TO THE TRUTH.
THIS WEEK’S SEVERE WEATHER INFOGRAPHICS: SEVERE WEATHER: UNDERSTANDING SEVERE WEATHER RISK CATEGORIES, THE HAZARDS YOU CAN EXPECT, AND HOW DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR HELPS KEEP YOU SAFE!
Doppler radar has saved countless lives since it came into widespread use. Here’s a timeline on the history of this technology and how it keeps you safe year round.
PREPARING AN EMERGENCY KIT FOR HOME, VEHICLE, AND WORK
This handy checklist from the American Red Cross will help you put together an emergency kit for a variety of weather scenarios. A kit like this is very helpful in a variety of other difficult scenarios from wildfires to blizzards to tornadoes and hurricanes.
Where you get your weather forecasts, warnings, and other important information is as important as being informed. Discretion is of the upmost importance when you’re trying to stay weather aware. As of late, it’s been brought to my attention that there have been amateur ‘forecasters’ using graphics with the intention of appearing as professional and official sources of information on Twitter, Facebook, et al. They should NOT be taken as official sources of potentially life-saving warnings and weather forecasts and updates.
Social media is a very useful tool that can be misused for misinformation, disinformation, and hype. While this infographic is geared towards, winter weather, it certainly applies to ALL types of weather year round.
That’s a wrap for this post! Be sure to check in next week when we’ll take a look at more severe weather safety. I’d like to extend a big ‘Thank You’ to my followers in social media. I’m glad you’re along for the fun! If you’re on Twitter, Tumblr, or Instagram, let’s connect! As for the COVID-19 pandemic, sport a spiffy mask, practice good hand-washing hygiene, mind your social distancing, stay safe, and stay healthy! See you next Saturday!
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