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Thunderstorm Risk Categories In This Watch vs Warning New Enhanced Fujita Scale Book: First Alert Ready Checklist First Alert Ready Plan What is a Tornado? A tornado is a violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and often accompanied by severe thunderstorms. Tornados are the most destructive of all atmospheric phenomena and occur on all continents, but are most common in Australia and the United States. Did you know ...... • Most tornados only last about two or three minutes. The more destructive, or “killer,” tornados last about 15 minutes. • Tornados can measure from three feet to 2 miles in diameter. • There are about 1000 tornados recorded each year in the United States. • Tornados occur most frequently in the months of April, May, and June. • Tornados generally happen between 3:00PM and 7:00PM. Winds recorded have reached up to 300 MPH! There are twice as many tornados and tornado related deaths in Texas than any other state. In the past 85 years, more than 6,000 tornados have occurred in Texas killing more than 1,110 people. Anatomy of a Tornado 1. Warm air rises through storm system and hits cooler air of the jet stream. 2. Warm air twists. As speed increases, more air is drawn up through the low pressure area in the vortex. 3. As the vortex gets stronger, the funnel begins to drop. Anatomy of a Super Cell Map of Coverage Counties The First Alert Weather System warns you and your family when severe weather approaches your area. First Alert is tied directly to the National Weather Service. When a weather warning is issues, this Central Texas map appears in the corner of your screen. Warnings and Watches are color coded to let you know what kind of severe weather is headed your way. First Alert Ready Watch vs Warning What Makes a Storm Severe? -Hail Quarter Size or Larger -Winds in Excess of 58 MPH -A Tornado Severe T-Storm Watch Severe storms are POSSIBLE in and close to the watch area. A tornado or two can’t be ruled out. Severe T-Storm Warning A severe storm has been OBSERVED on radar or by a storm spotter in your county. Seek shelter immediately. Tornado Watch Severe storms and tornadoes are POSSIBLE in and close to the watch area. Tornado Warning A tornado has been OBSERVED on radar or by a storm spotter in your county. Seek shelter immediately. Get to Know Matt Hines! Award winning Chief Meteorologist Matt Hines came to Cen- tral Texas News Now 25 in December of 2007. Matt’s entire on-air career has been spent in the great state of Texas (Cen- tral Texas, Amarillo, Lubbock)! He leads a team of meteorolo- gists that uses the most advanced weather equipment in Cen- tral Texas and has set the standard for forecasting accuracy in the area. Matt has earned the National Weather Association Seal of Approval. This seal requires an examination and on-air evaluation. Once you earn the seal, you have to accumulate continuing education credits and renew every three years. Matt grew up in Plano, Texas just north of Dallas. He knew at a very early age that weath- er was his passion. One of his first weather memories is watching his neighbor’s fence blow away as a tornado went through his neighborhood. From then on, he knew he was destined to become a meteorologist. After high school he went to Lubbock, Texas where he attended Texas Tech University. He majored in broadcast journalism, but transferred his credits to Mississippi State Uni- versity where he completed the course work for the Broadcast Meteorology Program in 2003. While taking classes online, he worked as an intern at KLBK-TV in Lubbock. He was quickly promoted to their sister station KAMC-TV and became the weekend meteo- rologist in 2000. After his work in Lubbock was finished in 2003, Matt moved to Amarillo, Texas where he worked at KAMR-TV. He started as the weekend meteorologist, then became the morning meteorologist, and eventually worked his way up to interim Chief Meteorologist during the spring of 2007. Matt has covered numerous severe weather and tornado outbreaks both in the field and in the studio. Other than weather, Matt has many other interests and hobbies. He’s an avid Dallas and Red Raider sports fan. He also enjoys traveling, spending time with his family, cooking or sampling new and different cuisine, and of course storm chasing. Matt’s daughter Addi- son and son Austin (twins) keep him very busy when he is at home! Matt understands that weather is very important to you and looks forward to giving you his forecasts weekdays at 5, 6 and 10 p.m! First Alert Ready Kit Check List Through the First Alert Ready Campaign, the Central Texas News Now Weather team is educating and empowering Central Texans to takesome simple steps to prepare for and respond to po- tential Severe Weather Threats. First Alert Ready asks individuals to do three key things: get an emergency supply kit, make a family emergency plan, and be informed about the different types of emergencies that could occur and their appropriate responses. All Central Texans should have some basic supplies on hand in order to survive for at least three days if an emergency occurs. Following is a listing of some basic items that every emergency supply kit should include. However, it is important that individuals review this list and consider where they live and the unique needs of their family in order to create an emergency supply kit that will meet these needs. Individuals should also consider having at least two emergency sup- ply kits, one full kit at home and smaller portable kits in their workplace, vehicle or other places they spend time. Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both Flashlight and extra batteries First aid kit Whistle to signal for help Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place Moist towelettes, garabage bags and plastic ties for personal san- itation Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food) Local maps First Alert Ready Word Find AIR CLOUD COLD DRY FOG FORECAST FRONT HIGH LOW HUMID LIGHTNING STORM RADAR RAIN TORNADO SUNNY THUNDER WEATHER WARNING WATCH WET WIND Test Your Severe Weather Knowledge Fill in the blanks with the following weather words Rain Gauge Thermometer Weather Radar Barometer Cloud Balloon Satellite Wind Thunder Wind Vane Anemometer Meteorologist 1. A _______ measures atmospheric pressure. 2. An _______ measures wind speed. 3. A _______ is someone who studies the atmosphere. 4. A ________ is created when cool air and warm air come to- gether. 5. When a meteorologist wants to find out what is going on in the upper levels of the atmosphere, he/she uses a _______ _ 6. A _______ is an instrument which indicates where and how strong rain is. 7. A ______ measures the direction of the wind. 8. ______ always follows lightning. 9. A ______ is used to take pictures of the clouds from space. 10. A ______ measures how hot or cold the air 1s. 11. To measure how much precipitation has fallen, a meteorologist uses a _______ _ 12. ______ is the atmosphere in motion. Puzzles and Games courtesy of: Meteorology Made Easy: A Young Person’s Guide to Understanding Weather by Mark Scirto Severe Weather Secret Message Decode the message using the special code below A: 26 N: 13 B: 25 O: 12 C: 24 P: 11 D: 23 Q: 10 E: 22 R: 9 F: 21 S: 8 G: 20 T: 7 H: 19 U: 6 I: 18 V: 5 J: 17 W: 4 K: 16 X: 3 L: 15 Y: 2 M: 14 Z: 1 26 15 4 26 2 8 ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ 25 22 21 18 9 8 7 ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ 26 15 22 9 7 9 22 26 23 2 ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ First Alert Ready Emergency Plan At Home •Take cover in the center part of the house on the lowest floor. •Rooms such as closets or bathrooms are ideal. •Under sturdy furniture. •Stay away from windows. •A basement offers the greatest safety. In Mobile Homes •Mobile homes are vulnerable to overturning during strong winds. •Evacuate immediately when strong winds or tornados are possible. •If there is no shelter nearby, leave the trailer and take shelter in a ditch. On the Road •If possible, leave your car and get into the nearest ditch. •Cover your head with your hands until the tornado passes. Don’t drive toward flooded roads, TURN AROUND DON’T DROWN •DO NOT TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO! At Work/School •Move to a designated shelter area. •Hallways on the lowest floor are the best. •Under sturdy furniture. •Stay away of auditoriums, gymnasi- ums, and other structures with long, wide, free-span roofs. Severe Weather Safe Spot Locate the safest room in this house in case of severe weather First Alert Ready EF Scale What is the EF Scale? The EF Scale has been the measuring scale in the United States since 2007. The EF scale uses three-second wind gust estimates based on a more detailed system for assessing damage, taking into account different building materials.