Nothing is scarier than being trapped when Mother Nature shows its fury. Spring is known to awaken nature’s beauty from a wintry slumber, but also marks the arrival of severe thunderstorm season which can leave homes devastated and lives ruined within a moment’s notice.

Check out some tips below to keep your family safe when severe weather strikes:

Stay Up to Date. Checking the weather before you begin your day can go a long way especially when there is a chance for a severe weather outbreak in your region. Simply downloading the WeatherBug app and signing up for notifications will make sure that you stay alerted before walking out the door.
Know Your Local Alert System. Some cities, depending on where you are located, will have sirens or bells installed for imminent danger. Sirens can be heard going off if your area is under a tornado warning, allowing time to get to safety and brace for impact.
Create a Plan. It is never too late to have a plan in place should you have to act fast during inclement weather. This plan could consist of an emergency route to a safe location such as a basement, storm cellar or an interior closet away from windows and preferably on the lowest level of your home. You should also have an emergency kit packed with non-perishable food items, bottles of water, blankets, fresh batteries and a weather radio.
Prep Your Home. It may be too late to brace your home when severe weather is afoot, but there’s things you can do ahead of severe thunderstorms. Check your windows for cracks, trim your trees if you have tall trees in your yard and limit loose objects outside such as trash bins. If you have pets, make sure you prepare a place for them as well should severe storms roll through.
Be A Friendly Neighbor. If you know that severe weather is on the way, check on your neighbors as they may not know the danger on the horizon. It is never too late to take an emergency preparedness class that teaches life-saving skills such as CPR.

If you haven't yet, try to get a plan together before inclement weather is forecasted for your area. If all else fails, just remembering this phrase will help protect you from Mother Nature’s dark side: “When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!”

Source(s): weather.gov

Story Image: Damage from a deadly EF3 tornado that struck Fultondale, Alabama on January 25, 2021. (National Weather Service Forecast Office in Birmingham, Alabama/Wikimedia Commons)

Spring Weather – Preparing For Severe Storms