Severe Weather Awareness Week Day 3: Thunderstorms & Preparedness
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — It's Day 3 of Severe Weather Awareness Week and today's focus is on thunderstorms and preparedness.
Every year, there are on average, 16 million worldwide, with around 100,000 of these occurring in the United States alone. Of these, only around 10% reach severe criteria. That's around 10,000 severe thunderstorms per year in the United States.
Severe Weather Awareness Week Day 2: Tornado Safety
But what exactly IS a severe thunderstorm?
A thunderstorm is considered 'severe,' if it meet one of both of the following criteria:
Meteorologists typically know well in advance when severe weather may strike and oftentimes issues a Severe Thunderstorm Watch in advance of an incoming system. A watch simply means severe thunderstorms are possible in and around the watch area. When a watch in issued for your area, you should keep updated on the latest weather conditions and watch for any warnings that may be issued and be ready to take action. You should remain vigilant for rapidly changing weather conditions.
If a storm meets any of the criteria, a Severe Thunderstorm WARNING is issued. This means a storm meeting and/or exceeding severe criteria has been reported and/or indicated on radar. We have a variety of tools we can use to determine the strength of a particular storm, including something called storm velocity and storm relative velocity which allows us (and your local National Weather Service Office) to see how strong the winds are in a particular storm or line of storms. We also have another special tool to check for hail potential.
Additionally, there are two different tags that can be added to a Severe Thunderstorm Warning:
1.) Considerable: 70+ mph winds and/or 1.75″ diameter (golf ball) or larger hail
2.) Destructive: 80+ mph winds and/or 2.75″ diameter (baseball) or larger hail
According to the National Weather Service though, only 10% of severe thunderstorms reach destructive criteria each year. That's around 1,000 severe thunderstorms.
If a Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued, that means there is likely large hail and/or damaging winds imminent and will pose a threat to life and property.
Severe Weather Awareness Week Day 1: Lightning
This is when you will need to take action. Severe thunderstorms don't have to produce a tornado to do damage. They can produce straight-line winds, downbursts, and destructive hail and can do just as much or even more damage than a tornado. That being said, when a Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued, take shelter immediately in the interior room or basement of a sturdy building, away from windows.
If you're outside, get to a sturdy shelter immediately. This does not mean a shed or carport. Also avoid large, open rooms like gyms, auditoriums, etc, and NEVER stand under a tree. Not only could that tree be toppled in high winds, it increases your risk of being struck by lightning.
You'll also want to steer clear of water, this means doing dishes, taking a shower, giving the dog a bath, since electricity can travel through your pipes. Also avoid contact with electrical equipment.
Days in advance of severe weather, the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center (NWS SPC) issues convective outlooks. Typically these can be up to 8 days in advance, however, only up to around three days out do they begin to issue a severe thunderstorm risk category. It's important to familiarize yourself with these various categories and what the mean.
During any severe weather event, make sure you tune in to KCAU 9 News for the most up to date and accurate information. Make sure to download the new KCAU 9 Weather app, as it sends you alerts for your current location, and best of all, it's free! Make sure you also have a NOAA Weather Radio, as it is a good tool to keep you ahead of the storm 24/7.
Stay with KCAU 9 News for Severe Weather Awareness topics throughout the week and get the local forecast any time right here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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