Severe weather week nears; a reminder to be prepared

Severe Weather Awareness Week in Nebraska is March 21-25.
Chase County will be participating in a statewide tornado drill next Wednesday at 9 a.m., said Duane Dreiling, Chase County Emergency Manager.
Sirens will sound as a reminder that everyone needs to have a plan of action and be prepared in case of severe weather in the area.
Nebraska now averages around 57 tornadoes per year.
Over the last several decades, tornadoes have occurred as early as March and as late as May, June, July and even into October.
From 1950 to 2010, Chase County had a total of 87 tornadoes averaging as little over one per year. Since then, averages seem to be increasing, according to more recent statistics.
These averages are not set in stone though. Tornado activity fluctuates each year.
As an example, the National Weather Service out of Hastings confirmed there were 12 tornadoes in Nebraska on Dec. 17, 2021
A series of isolated storms in southwest and western Nebraska prompted tornado warnings from the National Weather Service in North Platte covering Chase, Dundy, Hayes, Hitchcock, Red Willow and Sioux counties on May 26, 2021.
Stay informed, be prepared
    Listen and watch for weather updates and advisories, Dreiling said.
    Getting up-to-the-minute information is an important part of staying safe in any weather emergency.
    Sign up for the RAVE alert system to receive immediate local weather warnings, he said.
    The system will be used to send out notifications for emergency situations and weather warnings, as well as public information notifications.
    The weather alerts are sent out from the North Platte weather service and are immediately routed through the Rave Alert system to county citizens who are signed up for the service, Dreiling said.
    To sign up for this alert system, go to www.co.chase.ne.us and select “Welcome to Chase County, Nebraska.” Choose the “Sign-up for RAVE” link and fill out the form.
    During severe weather events like tornadoes, winds can reach speeds greater than 100 miles per hour.
    High winds of any speed, however, can damage homes and property, and cause flying debris and broken glass which could cause potential injury.         Proper planning may help save your family from injury and inconvenience when severe weather strikes.
    According to the CDC emergency preparedness site, have a battery-operated flashlight plus extra batteries ready,  know where to take shelter, create a first aid kit and stay informed.
    A “watch” means that conditions are favorable for a weather event in the coming hours.
    A “warning” means severe weather in the area is imminent and advises people to seek shelter.
    A high wind advisory means that sustained winds of over 25 miles per hour are predicted.
Take warnings seriously
    Thunderstorm and tornado warnings should be taken very seriously, as they mean that severe weather has been spotted and is on its way.
    Take shelter in a safe location. Move to the middle of your home or basement, away from windows and glass doors.
    Try to take cover under a staircase or a heavy piece of furniture.
    Do not stay in a manufactured home during severe winds. They are easily overturned by high winds, and flying debris can puncture their light frames and exteriors.
    If you live in an area prone to severe winds, you may want to build a safe room in your home.
National Geographic facts
    Tornadoes are one of the most powerful and violent weather phenomena.
    Most tornadoes develop from supercells, which are storms that are characterized by strong rotating updrafts.
    A supercell develops because of wind shear in the atmosphere, which is wind moving different speeds at different heights.
    Wall clouds develop as a supercell rapidly adds moist air into the storm. If a tornado forms, this is where it would occur.
    If air converges rapidly beneath the wall cloud, the rotation narrows and spins faster and faster, just like ice skaters spin faster when their arms are drawn in.
    When this rotation extends from the ground to the cloud, a tornado has formed.
    However, not all supercells produce tornadoes, because just the right conditions are needed at the surface.
    When a tornado warning is issued, seek shelter immediately.
    Nebraska is one of several states considered to be in the infamous “Tornado Alley,” a cluster of states in the midwestern U.S. where tornadoes are most likely to occur.
    Tornado Alley is typically identified as including parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Indiana, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois and Ohio.