StrictlyWeather

Interesting Facts about Severe Thunderstorms:
• Severe thunderstorms produce hail the size of a penny (3/4 inches) or larger.
• Penny-sized hail or larger can cause significant damage to the exterior surface of your vehicle, break windows and damage roofs of homes and businesses.
• Penny-sized hail or larger can cause significant bodily injuries such as broken bones and even blindness if wind blown.
Severe thunderstorms produce straight wind called downbursts of 58 mph or greater. Downbursts have been measured in excess of 100 mph.
• Downbursts can cause significant damage even to well-constructed homes, topple or snap large trees, blow down road and commercial signs, and remove roofs from structures.
• Downbursts can cause damage similar to that of a strong tornado, and cause loss of life or significant bodily injury from wind blown debris and toppled structures.
Tornado Safety Actions:
Homes
• When a tornado watch is issued, be prepared to take action.
• When a tornado warning is issued, or a tornado is imminent, move to a small interior room away from windows.
• Consider constructing a tornado safe room in or adjacent to your home.
Vehicles
• Abandon your vehicle and seek refuge in a building or, as a last resort, a ditch.
• Do not try to outrun a tornado.
Offices / Hotels and Condominiums
• When action is required, take shelter in an interior hallway on a lower floor, closet or small room.
• As a last resort, get under heavy furniture, away from windows.
Manufactured and Mobile Homes
• Have a plan of where to go during a tornado threat nearby pre-identified safe structure within walking distance.
• When a tornado watch is issued, be prepared to take action.
Open Country
• Seek a nearby shelter if time permits.
• If not, lie flat in the nearest depression, a ditch or culvert. Cover your head with your arms.
Severe Thunderstorm Safety Actions:
• Monitor NOAA Weather Radio. Listen for "Severe Thunderstorm Watches and Warnings."
• When severe thunderstorms threaten, go to a small interior room on the lowest floor of your home, school or business. Avoid windows.
• Prior to a severe thunderstorm, move vehicles into garages or carports to help prevent damage, time permitting
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StrictlyWeather.com is an amateur weather site that was developed and established by a college student interested in weather and in response to the recent devastating hurricane seasons. The concept was to develop another resource for people to easily find information on extreme weather events, as well as day to day weather with the intent to inform, raise awareness, and educate them about these phenomenal forces of nature. More importantly we consider ourselves a community, brought together through the web, here to cheer people up, make them laugh, or offer them advice and support during some of the toughest times.
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Wildfire Safety Actions:
• Trim all tree branches that hang over the house or are lower than 6 to 10 feet from the ground.
• Plant fire resistant plants such as dogwood, sycamore, magnolia, oaks, red maple, wild azalea, sweetgum, black cherry and ferns instead of pines and palmettos.
• Use fire resistant construction materials where possible, and fire resistant barriers when attaching flammable materials, such as wood decks or fences to the house.
• Follow local regulations for the burning or disposal of yard waste and other materials.
• Develop a personal disaster plan, including a plan for evacuating your home. Be sure to identify at least two routes out of your neighborhood or subdivision
• Create a defensible or safe space of at least 30 feet around your home that is lean, clean and green.
• To help emergency vehicles gain access, make sure driveways are at least 12 feet wide with at least 15 feet of overhead clearance, and are easily identifiable.
• Keep gutters, eaves and yards clear of debris, sticks, pine needles and leaves.
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Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
Category Pressure (mb) Winds (mph) Surge (ft)
TD --- ---
TS --- 39-73 ---
1 980 74-95 4-5
2 965-980 96-110 6-8
3 945-965 111-130 9-12
4 920-945 131-155 13-18
5 155+ 18+
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Enhanced Fujita Tornado Damage Scale
Category Wind Speed (mph) Damage
EF0 65 - 85 Minimal
EF1 86 - 110 Moderate
EF2 111 -135 Considerable
EF3 136 - 165 Severe
EF4 166 - 200 Devastating
EF5 Over 200 Incredible
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Hurricane Charley - SW Florida - Friday the 13th 2004