Didja know that this week is Severe Weather Awareness Week?
Me neither.
Of course, Severe Weather Awareness Week is now being held when the weather this week has been pretty much the opposite of severe. There's been sun, it's been warming up, and no severe weather event of any kind has happened so far nor is it likely to occur this week.
Why they don't hold it during actual severe weather-worthy weeks like during the recent polar vortex is beyond me.
So today, for a special treat to raise awareness, the tornado sirens went off. To raise awareness. We're now aware the sirens work not just on the first Saturday of the month at 1pm but now on a Tuesday too. I am now much safer from this awareness moment.
Which leads to the next confusing severe weather point - without looking it up does anyone know the difference between a Storm/Tornado Watch and a Storm/Tornado Warning? Which one is worse? Who thought that using two similar W-words to distinguish the possibility versus the actuality of a dangerous event was a good idea?
Interestingly enough, for those who didn't know, a Tornado Warning is worse than a Tornado Watch.
One would think that if someone tells you to watch out for something it would be more severe and pose a greater danger than just getting a warning about it maybe happening, but that is not so.
2 comments:
Warning! Danger Will Robinson! Warning! Danger!
WE get oyr Tornado/Civil Defense siren check on the first Tuesday of the month. 10 AM Local
and we have already had one Warning this year. 'Twasn't much of a tornado, but still.
And I remember the tornado swarm of 1974 (yes, I am old). It made me a believer in taking shelter. And made me realize how powerful Ma Nature really is.
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