WE NEED YOUR HELP PREPARING FOR SEVERE WEATHER
Written by: Brian Neudorff
Although it feels like late January or early February today the Spring & Summer severe weather season is almost here. Don't think Western New York can get severe storms or tornadoes? Just look back to the 1998 Labor Day derecho or just go back to last summer when 5 tornadoes touched down in Western New York. We will see storms, some may not be severe but they can produce localized and urban flooding. All thunderstorms have lightning and we want you to be safe. Sometime in early May, we'll let you know when a date is set, the News 8 Weather Team will present our half hour weather special on Severe Summer weather.
Because we have great viewers and support on this blog we want to pick your collective brain. We have ideas on what we're going to cover this year but like Jello there's always room for more. What would make you want to watch? What do you want to know about severe storms? Tornadoes? Floods? Lightning? Some we might answer today on this post other we may save for the show but we want to hear from you. Can't wait to see some of your posts.
Many folks today are wired in and get email notifications throughout the day. Perhaps News 8 could offer a "weather-alert" service where a global e-mail message is sent out to all who want to subscribe when there is imminent bad weather happening in our area.
ReplyDeleteOf course, nothing beats keeping an eye to radar online and the sky outside :-)
The thing that seems to happen the most during summer time thunderstorms is poor drainage and occasionally flash flooding. As the mets obviously know, flooding happens most often from slow moving thunderstorm cells, or what is known as "training."
ReplyDeleteI think you guys should explain to viewers what "training" means, and how slow moving and training thunderstorms can cause flooding to happen quite quickly.
Also, It would be neat if you explained how the soil in this region is different from places like Florida, which is why we are prone to flood more quickly when we get heavy thunderstorms.
I always hear in the summer how thunderstorms form on the lake breeze. what does that mean??
ReplyDeleteWhy is dewpoint talked about more with relationship to thunderstorms than humidity? I know they're not the same, but I always thought humidity was the most direct factor given that it's all about how much available moisture is in the air.
ReplyDeleteDoes topography have any impact on where a thunderstorm evolves during the summer?
ReplyDeleteWhat make the so-called "popcorn thunderstroms"? As opposed to the squall line of t-storms that come with frontal passages?
ReplyDeleteHow much does afternoon sun play a role?
What's the difference between a Severe Thunderstorm Warning and a Severe Thunderstorm Watch? Is one more severe than the other?
ReplyDeleteWow These ARE GREAT, Some we will talk about. To the person who asked about dew point versus relative humidity I did an explanation on this back in 2008
ReplyDeleteWe will talk about the difference between a Watch & a Warning but the best way to describe them is a Watch means just that WATCH OUT! It usually covers a large area and means Conditions are favorable for the development of Severe Weather BUT it doesn't mean it will occur.
A Warning means severe weather IS occurring an you need to seek shelter & safety immediately. The warning is the most severe.
What generates the wind that is associated with a thunderstorm?
ReplyDeleteWhat's the difference between a downbust, a microburst, and a tornado?
ReplyDeleteGood comments many of these I think we'll be able to cover in the special. Keep em coming!
ReplyDeleteIs it true that derechos mostly happen at night and drop from NW to SE? What causes them?
ReplyDeleteWhy do some storms produce hail, but others don't?
ReplyDeleteWhy do thunderstorms seem soo much more common in the summer down in southern Livingston and Ontario counties? It seems from Dansville to Naples always gets hit hard every year, while it stays dry closer to Rochester.
ReplyDeletehow about lightning safety on the lakes for those mariner folk? also you guys should have a spotter tip line for when severe wx strikes.
ReplyDeleteanyone look at the euro? looks like a we may be in the 70's for easter weekend
ReplyDeleteanyone look at the euro? Looks like we may be in the 70's easter weekend.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't thunderstorms happen in the winter too?
ReplyDeleteWhat effect will local disasters in our area, have on our necessary communication links: Cell Towers, Land-Line Phones, Amateur Radio reception? How do the local emergency response teams get around these losses in communications? How can we prepare for dependable communications during and right after 'local Weather related Disasters?
ReplyDeleteEarlier post asked very brief question about "mariner folk" - I'd like to expand that & ask for some true info on water safety for boaters - both power & sail - is the mast really like a lightning rod & much more dangerous???? Can you tell truth/or not about some wives tales about lightning ! I'm safe if I can count to ...between the lightning & the clap of thunder.....etc
ReplyDeleteHow can you be safer if caught in a storm on the water?.....what about docks - metal & wood ??? swimming ???
Thanks for all the great info...keep it coming.
Communication between emergency personnel, such as dispatchers to EMS, fire and police units out in the field, should not be effected by a widespread power outage. The greatest risk to those would be if the wind took out the communications tower itself. But even if that tower was taken out, I believe that there is a backup tower in Monroe county to ensure that a widespread loss of communiction doesn't occur. Of course, if that tower got taken out as well, then we're pretty muh screwed anyway because one heck of an apocolyptic storm went through our region.
ReplyDeleteI like to hear about wind, the fastest gust in Rochester area and other stuff. I also want to know why it is quiet just before a storm. The birds don't fly or make a sound. How do they know? Also is sun spot activity known in advance?
ReplyDeleteJordyn age 11