The end of March marks the beginning of spring, and the potential for severe weather.
The National Weather Service (NWS) wants everyone to be prepared for bad weather and has a variety of tips to mark Severe Weather Awareness Week, March 27-31, in Nebraska.
Our area sees its share of dramatic weather changes, including severe thunderstorms, flash floods, derechos, and of course, spring snowstorms.
Tornado drills will be held Wednesday, March 29, at 10 a.m. Many businesses use the statewide tornado drill to practice their safety plans to make sure employees are aware of their designated safe spots.
What is a “severe” thunderstorm? The NWS applies specific criteria to storms of this level.
A thunderstorm is severe when it produces:
Thunderstorms can result in damage caused by wind, hail, lightning, flooding and flash flooding, and tornadoes.
In 2022, the number of tornadoes reported in Nebraska was down from the 30-year average of 49, according to the NWS. There were 26 tornadoes reported in the state last year, with 10 occurring in April.
But tornadoes can strike at any time of day, on any day of the year. Be prepared by following these tips:
There are two key indicators that activate weather advisories – a “watch” and a “warning.” Knowing the difference between these two terms and how to react to them is an important part of severe weather awareness and will help you stay safe.
Jason Kuiper joined OPPD as a communications specialist in 2015. He is a former staff writer and reporter at the Omaha World-Herald, where he covered a wide range of topics but spent the majority of his career covering crime. He is a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha and has also appeared in several true crime documentary shows. In his free time he enjoys cooking, spending time with his wife and three children, and reading crime novels.
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