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Be a Force: Practice Flood Safety

Thu, 06 Mar 2014 22:41:30 +0000

In addition to extreme heat, tornadoes, and hurricanes, flooding was one of the top 5 causes of weather fatalities in the U.S. during the 10-year period of 2003-2012. Don't become a statistic! Pass along your flood safety knowledge to your entire family and neighborhood.

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Be a Force: Prepare for Weather Emergencies by Building a Disaster Kit

Wed, 05 Mar 2014 18:49:10 +0000

Don't have a weather emergency kit in your home? Make plans to buy one, or create your own with this how-to.

Be a Force: Practice Tornado Safety

Tue, 04 Mar 2014 23:46:43 +0000

Today's theme in our week-long Severe Weather Awareness blog series is tornadoes.

Spring is often referred to as tornado season, so it's especially important to know the tell-tale signs of an approaching tornado as well as where you should go to seek shelter from it before you need to put these actions into use.

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Be a Force: Can You Name this Weather Safety Position?

Mon, 03 Mar 2014 23:58:50 +0000

If you guessed a thunderstorm/lightning then you know your stuff!

One of the worst places you can be during a thunderstorm is outdoors. But if you aren't able to quickly take shelter, assuming the lightning safety or lightning desperation position (pictured above) is your safest option.

Image credit: NOAA NWS Pueblo, CO

Be a Force: Is Your Weather Radio 'At the Ready'?

Sun, 02 Mar 2014 23:41:25 +0000

Today kicks off Severe Weather Awareness Week 2014 in the U.S., and there's no better question to begin the preparedness conversation than, Do you have a weather radio at home, at work, or at your school?

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1 More Day Until Spring??

Fri, 28 Feb 2014 19:24:12 +0000

Although spring doesn't officially begin for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere until March 20, we here at About Weather are celebrating early!

Why?

Well, according to the weather world, spring actually starts on March 1.

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March 2-8, 2014 is National Severe Weather Preparedness Week

Wed, 26 Feb 2014 19:20:06 +0000

Did you know...

- After a tornado warning is issued, you only have about 13 minutes to seek safety before the tornado arrives at your location?

- If you can hear thunder, you're close enough to the thunderstorm to be struck by lightning.

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Has the U.S. 'Gone Soft' when it Comes to Cold Weather?

Wed, 26 Feb 2014 19:00:34 +0000

This January, a series of cold Arctic air outbreaks, dubbed the polar vortex, brought some of the coldest air the eastern U.S. has felt in years. But here's some food for thought: as bitterly cold as these temperatures were (as low as -20s°F in the upper tier states), according to the National Climatic Data Center, not one state had it's coldest January on record. A bit surprising, considering listening to the grumblings of news anchors, neighbors, and coworkers you would have thought we were in the 15-19th century Little Ice Age.

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Climate Top Tens: January 2014 is Earth's Warmest

Wed, 26 Feb 2014 18:19:01 +0000

This headline may come as a shock to Americans whose eastern half of the nation endured extreme cold and repeated intrusions of the polar vortex all January long. But as can be seen from the sea of pinks and reds on the map above, it was a very different January for the rest of the planet.

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Poll: Why Does Winter Weather Get Such a Bad Rap?

Fri, 07 Feb 2014 19:38:54 +0000

Why is it that the average person dislikes winter and winter weather?

Take the poll and find out!