"That would relocate your house quite nicely..."
If you couldn't tell already, I'm an avid weather fan. I still pray for snow even when those around me want none of it. I like being outside on spring days. I actually enjoy watching severe weather coverage on TV when it happens. Okay, maybe "fan" is too poor choice of a word. Maybe "geek" would be better.
All joking aside, I take severe weather events very seriously. My grandmother was in a tornado that nearly destroyed Gainesville, GA many years ago. Trees fell on my parents house a few times growing up. I've stood under a funnel cloud. I ran for cover when a big storm hit our home in Birmingham and I watched trees bend over 90 degrees (and we lost some very tall pine trees in our backyard to the storm). And I've heard the stories from people who were caught unaware when a big storm hit.
This weekend, a pretty potent severe weather threat is developing. Round 1 is supposed to take place this evening and tonight, and the bulk of that activity should stay south of us (near Birmingham and southward). We still may get some strong storms, but - at this time - it's not supposed to be so bad around here. Round 2, however, has me concerned much more. Round 2 is supposed to happen in the morning through afternoon hours tomorrow (as in Easter Sunday), and that threat may affect us. The greatest activity will probably be in the northeastern corners of the state, but we are not out of the woods.
From NOAA: "FOR EASTER SUNDAY... A HIGHER THREAT OF TORNADO PRODUCING SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXISTS DURING THE MORNING AND AFTERNOON HOURS."
From ABC33/40 in B'ham: "These thunderstorms will have the potential to produce damaging, long track tornadoes. The specific areas that will be affected cannot be forecast just yet, but we are increasingly concerned about the area from Birmingham on to the north and northeast tomorrow during the late morning and afternoon."
ABC33/40 also warns that the NWS might upgrade this event to a 'high' (that's a 3 on a scale of 1 to 3) risk event. That is very significant. The last time they did that, an F5 tornado ripped across the northwest corner of Birmingham...one of several tornadoes that touched down April 8, 1998.
The thing I fear during events like this is the 'dismissal' given to them by people. "It's just another storm." "Welcome to Alabama in the spring." "I'm not worried." Though odds are likely that many of us won't experience bad weather, it is possible...and the greatest danger is not taking it seriously. This Sunday, many people will be in church. I hope that our church and other churches are prepared for the threat...having someone listening out for warnings on a weather radio or something, and knowing where to send people should a storm hit. Goshen United Methodist Church in the Anniston area was destroyed by a tornado on Palm Sunday one year - while people were there. The threat is real.
Just keep your ears open, people...
All joking aside, I take severe weather events very seriously. My grandmother was in a tornado that nearly destroyed Gainesville, GA many years ago. Trees fell on my parents house a few times growing up. I've stood under a funnel cloud. I ran for cover when a big storm hit our home in Birmingham and I watched trees bend over 90 degrees (and we lost some very tall pine trees in our backyard to the storm). And I've heard the stories from people who were caught unaware when a big storm hit.
This weekend, a pretty potent severe weather threat is developing. Round 1 is supposed to take place this evening and tonight, and the bulk of that activity should stay south of us (near Birmingham and southward). We still may get some strong storms, but - at this time - it's not supposed to be so bad around here. Round 2, however, has me concerned much more. Round 2 is supposed to happen in the morning through afternoon hours tomorrow (as in Easter Sunday), and that threat may affect us. The greatest activity will probably be in the northeastern corners of the state, but we are not out of the woods.
From NOAA: "FOR EASTER SUNDAY... A HIGHER THREAT OF TORNADO PRODUCING SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXISTS DURING THE MORNING AND AFTERNOON HOURS."
From ABC33/40 in B'ham: "These thunderstorms will have the potential to produce damaging, long track tornadoes. The specific areas that will be affected cannot be forecast just yet, but we are increasingly concerned about the area from Birmingham on to the north and northeast tomorrow during the late morning and afternoon."
ABC33/40 also warns that the NWS might upgrade this event to a 'high' (that's a 3 on a scale of 1 to 3) risk event. That is very significant. The last time they did that, an F5 tornado ripped across the northwest corner of Birmingham...one of several tornadoes that touched down April 8, 1998.
The thing I fear during events like this is the 'dismissal' given to them by people. "It's just another storm." "Welcome to Alabama in the spring." "I'm not worried." Though odds are likely that many of us won't experience bad weather, it is possible...and the greatest danger is not taking it seriously. This Sunday, many people will be in church. I hope that our church and other churches are prepared for the threat...having someone listening out for warnings on a weather radio or something, and knowing where to send people should a storm hit. Goshen United Methodist Church in the Anniston area was destroyed by a tornado on Palm Sunday one year - while people were there. The threat is real.
Just keep your ears open, people...
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