Virginia Severe Weather Awareness Week is March 4-8

The first week in March is Virginia Severe Weather Awareness Week.  The annual event serves as a drill for emergency management, public safety officials, local media and Weather-Ready Nation Ambassadors to help join forces in improving Virginia’s  readiness, responsiveness and overall resilience against severe weather during the upcoming season.

Among the Severe Weather Awareness Week Activities is a Statewide Tornado Drill scheduled for Thursday, March 7.

One of the main topics that will be emphasized this week will be to remind residents of the differences between watches and warnings. There is a slight  difference between Tornado Watches and Hurricane Watches.

A Tornado Watch means that conditions are favorable for the event to occur.  A Tornado Warning indicates that either a strong thunderstorm that is likely to produce a tornado is eminent or that an actual tornado has been spotted.  When a Tornado Watch is issued monitor local weather sources such as local radio or tv or NOAA weather radio and be prepared to take action  if a warning is issued.  If a Tornado Warning is issued take immediate appropriate action to protect life and property.  If your home is one of the few on the shore with a basement, go there.  If not, go to an interior room in your house or workplace until the danger has passed.

Waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water and it is not unusual to see them mostly over the bay in the spring, summer and fall.  While waterspouts are generally EF-O or EF-1 on the scale, they can threaten life and property if a direct hit occurs.  Several years ago a camper at Cherrystone Camp Ground died when a waterspout scored a direct hit on the camp ground causing a tree to fall on a tent.  Two years ago, a waterspout hit Smith Island Maryland causing heavy damage to 3 structures.  There were no major injuries.

Waterspouts usually dissipate when they encounter land but if your home is on the water, waterspouts can cause heavy damages when there is a direct hit before they break up.

Tomorrow, we will talk about Hurricane Watches and Warnings.