Hi everybody and welcome! Well all the extreme tornado activity of late is just a reminder of the power that Mother Nature can create. The week of May 4, 2003 turned out to be the most active tornado week in recorded weather history. Even after the first round hit on Sunday May 4th, more severe storms and tornados hit many of the same locations again on Wednesday. It was a week that will not soon be forgotten.
It’s really hard to believe that hurricane season is less then a month away. The official start of the Atlantic Basin hurricane season starts on June 1st. Although a storm really early in the season is not necessarily likely, now is still the time to start preparing yourself for the unexpected.
It’s a known fact that hurricanes are going to threaten our coast no matter how well we are prepared. It is a part of our everyday life during the summer months in Florida. When a storm does threaten, you will have to make an important decision on whether or not to stay or leave. Before you decide, let me leave you with this. If everybody in any given county or county’s decided to all evacuate, the roads would be so grid-locked that their would be a danger of being stranded in your car while the storm was bearing down on you. This could be a very dangerous scenario. If you live in away from the water and reside in a structurally stable building or house, it would probably be a good idea to ride out the storm there. Just be sure you have storm shutters or plywood to protect all of your windows. If you live near the water, in a mobile home, or on Hutchinson Island, you should evacuate away from the area or go to a designated shelter. Absolutely do not ride out the storm if you live in a mobile home or near the ocean. Follow the instructions of local media or police if an evacuation order is given. Remember, most deaths that occur in hurricanes are from the storm surge and not the wind.
Here are some plans of action you should be undertaking right now before hurricane season starts.
1. Find out the storm surge history and the elevation in the area you live. You can find out all the information you need by going to my Website, JOESDISCOWEATHERCENTRAL.COM and clicking on the Local Hurricane Information link.
2. Learn all the safe evacuation routes in and out of your area. Know which roads flood easily and which roads are most likely to remain passable.
3. Know the location of your nearest shelter in case you need to leave your home. Remember to bring pillows etc. along with food and water. Remember that shelters do not allow pets. Make sure you have plans on what to do with your pets in case you have to leave in a hurry.
4. If you own a boat, make a game plan of where you can store it or safely move it to. Remember to allow ample time, as the bridges will be locked down when the storm gets close.
5. Trim back dead wood from trees and bushes. Look around your yard. Decide what you will do with chairs and other patio furniture you might own.
6. Be sure to have either storm shutters or pre-cut plywood to protect your windows. Do not try to ride out a storm in a house with no window protection.
7. Buy a NOAA weather radio and also have a portable am-fm radio so you can stay informed of the storms progress.
If you follow these simple tips and use some common sense, you have a much better chance of safely surviving one of these monster storms we call a hurricane.
Next week I will talk about what to do in the event that
a hurricane watch is issued. Now, on to The Time Capsule….
May 23, 1955 -- afternoon -- Tampa -- Lightning killed one person.
May 23, l962 -- Afternoon -- Duval Co., Jacksonville -- Lightning killed a l3 year old boy fishing from a dock.
May 23, l963 -- Afternoon -- Duval Co., Jacksonville -- Lightning killed a person.
May 23, 1976 -- Morning -- central Florida -- Subtropical Storm spawned three tornadoes. A tornado in Tampa injured two in mobile homes. Other, weaker tornadoes hit Marion and Volusia Counties.
May 24, l972 -- Afternoon -- Clewiston -- Lightning killed a 54-year-old man while wading on the edge of Lake Okeechobee.
May 25, l96l -- Afternoon -- Broward Co., Pompano Beach -- Lightning killed a person.
May 25, l966 -- Afternoon -- Palm Beach Co., W. Palm Beach -- Lightning killed a boy playing in his yard at home.
May 25-26, l980 -- Memorial Day Weekend -- Entire State -- Severe Weather Outbreak -- A large area of thunderstorms developed over the Mississippi Delta during the evening of May 24th, and moved rapidly southeastward toward Florida while growing in size and intensity. Severe weather was experienced in virtually every section of Florida at some time on May 25th, and mostly over southern Florida again on May 26th. Widespread damage occurred with severe thunderstorm winds, hail, lightning, and heavy rain. Nine tornadoes (Manatee, Dade, Alachua, Suwannee, Marion, Hendry, Charlotte, Lee, and Monroe Counties) were reported and funnel clouds were sighted in practically every section of the state. Damage was widespread including airplanes flipped over, boats capsized, widespread power failures with lines down, trees blown over on houses and cars, broken windows, signs, and TV antennas blown down, and fires caused by lightning. Widespread crop damage occurred in the northern counties from hail and high winds. Wind gusts over 50 mph were common in many sections with reports of winds 75 to 80 mph in several areas. One death reported. A woman drowned when she was trapped under an overturned l6 foot boat off Pine Island along the lower southwest coast. The Coast Guard reported that 39 boats capsized along the lower southwest Florida coast alone during the weekend between Gasparilla and Marco Island. A 38-foot shrimp boat sank l5 miles offshore from Hudson, above Clearwater. In view of the widespread severe weather, it is miraculous that only one death and no serious injuries were reported in Florida.
May 25, 1996 -- Broward Co., Pembroke Pines -- Eleven people were injured by
lightning while picnicking at C. B. Smith
Park. The lightning struck a tree then jumped to a picnic table and shocked
eleven of twenty-three people nearby. One person
was seriously injured and hospitalized after the lightning burned a gold chain
into his neck. It was not raining at the time.
May 26, l95l -- Franklin Co., Carrabelle -- Waterspout/Tornado damaged boats, buildings, fishing equipment and caused roof damage to 20 homes. Three fishermen were drowned when their boat was overturned.
May 26, l973 -- Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton Cos. -- Several tornadoes touched down. Worst hit was Crestview where one man was killed and four injured in mobile homes. Another tornado struck just east of Gulf Breeze injuring seven in mobile homes.
May 26, l977 -- Hendry Co. -- Lightning killed a l9 year old who was herding cattle on a ranch near State Road 836.
May 26, l982 -- St. Johns Co. -- Lightning killed a man and injured one near Molasses Junction.
May 27, l968 -- Leon Co. -- Golf ball size hail reported north of Tallahassee.
May 28, l989 -- Marion Co., Ocala -- Lightning killed a young woman and injured her mother at the edge of a lake in a wooded area.
May 28, 1996 -- Dade Co., Miami -- A 17-year-old female was hospitalized
after being struck indirectly by lightning as she
walked down the street. It was not raining at the time.
May 29, l963 -- Afternoon -- DeSoto Co., Arcadia -- Lightning killed a person.
May 29, 1994 -- Suwanee Co., Live Oak -- Lightning directly struck and killed a man at Little River Springs.
May 29, 1996 -- Hillsborough Co., Tampa -- Downburst winds from a
thunderstorm picked up a small boat and airlifted it to the
opposite side of a canal where it landed in a resident's yard and damaged a
parked vehicle.
That’s all for this weeks Time Capsule. I hope you enjoyed it. I love to hear from you! Please e-mail me your ideas and suggestions to JOESDISCOWEATHER@AOL.COM. As always, for the latest in severe weather updates and now winter weather updates from your hometown go to JOESDISCOWEATHERCENTRAL.COM! You can also join me for a free cup of coffee and a free copy of The Hometown News at the Stuart K Mart garden center every Saturday morning!