Severe Weather Awareness Week in New York

Written by: Brian Neudorff

This week (April 27 - May 3) has been declared, "Weather Hazards Awareness Week" by Governor David A Patterson in the state of New York.

We have already seen a couple of rounds of severe weather this spring and we will see more as we go into the months ahead. The last 20 years, severe weather has killed 75 people in New York and caused over three quarters of a billion dollars in damage. On average, New York's NOAA's National Weather Service issues 400 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings, 17 Tornado Warnings and about 150 Flash Flood Warnings each year. To reduce your chances of being killed or injured by severe weather, it is important to understand the meaning of severe weather watches and warnings. The StormWatch 8 weather team has provided a great link on severe weather awareness and explains how to prepare yourself for all types of severe weather we may experience this up coming season.

The first thing we all must know when preparing for the severe summer weather season is the difference between a watch and a warning. From my experience, when I talk to many groups about severe weather, I ask them to tell me the difference between a severe weather watch and a severe weather warning. Most of the time, the first person I call on gets the two mixed up, I have even had people in my own family confuse the two, but mixing those two up could mean the difference between life and death.

A Severe Thunderstorm or Tornado Watch will be issued by the Storm Prediction Center in Norman Oklahoma when the atmospheric conditions are right for the development of severe weather, such as severe thunderstorms or the possibility of tornadoes. These boxes will tend to cover a large geographic location, like parts of a state or multiple states, and they are just advising the public to be on the look out for severe weather. It does not mean severe weather is actually taking place.

If a severe storm or a tornado develops then the local National Weather Service office will issue a Severe Thunderstorm or Tornado Warning. This is only issued if severe weather is occurring right now and people in the paths of these storm are in danger and need to Seek Shelter Right Away!

For more on severe weather terminology you can visit the StormWatch 8 Severe Weather Awareness Page or the National Weather Service office in Buffalo. On May 10th, at 7pm on WROC, Chief Meteorologist Scott Hetsko and the StormWatch 8 weather team will present their severe weather special titled, Inside the Storm. We will discuss how you and your family can prepare for the severe weather season with some helpful tips and information on severe weather.