Move to higher ground—leave everything
and run. A flash flood can pick up cars,
campers, vans, recreational vehicles and
roll them downstream. It can tumble huge
boulders, uproot trees and carry them,
wash out roads and tumble bridges like
matchsticks.

Campers

+ If the weather forecast is for heavy
rain, stay home.

+ If you already have set up camp,
stay alert. Listen to local stations on
your battery powered radio.

+ Watch for signs of rain—not only
where you are—but upstream.

+ Plan ahead. Pick high ground for
your camp. Also know how to get to
even higher ground in an emergency.
Check your escape route to make
sure it's passable.

+ Remember, seconds count. Flash
floods move with lightning speed!

When You Are Outside

+ Keep out of storm drains, irrigation ditches, dry washes
or other waterways. When it rains, the water can rush
through too fast for you to escape.

+ There will probably be heavy lightning. Go to higher
ground, but stay off hilltops.

+ Don't get under lone trees. Follow lightning safety
guidelines.





Check Yourself About

Weather and Weather Warnings

Try these true or false questions. Ten right - you’re a weather wizard; eight right - you’re
okay; six or less right take another look at the booklet. It may save your life.

Tornadoes kill more people than any other kind of storm
Hurricanes are very large storm systems.

Wind is the main cause or loss of life in a hurricane.

Lightning never strikes twice in the same place. Tornado watch in

effect until 9:00 p.m.

Tornadoes occur only in the Midwestern states.
Flash floods occur only when it's raining where you are.
in a tornado the winds may swirl 200 - 300 miles an hour.

Winter storms develop after several hours of winds and clouds
warning you of danger.

A safe place to be during a lightning storm is inside a hard top
car.

10. During a lightning storm, get under a large tree for protection.


Lightning kills more people than hurricanes or tornadoes. At
any moment, there are 2,000 lightning storms around the
world.

Every day someone is struck by lightning. Most of these
people survive—with lifelong health problems—but many
are killed. In the United States about 100 people die each
year from lightning or from fires caused by lightning.

In addition to lightning, thunderstorms also produce strong
winds and hail. Some hail may be as big as golf balls or
baseballs. Thunderstorms may occur in winter but are most
common in spring and summer.



Car Sataty it:

Tell your parents to put these things in the trunk if you int
somewhere that gets deep snow even occasionally:

first aid kit Me
OD :

wa / long-lasting snacks

blanket

o cell phone _—
and coins a=
x for pay Va (ay), ‘\
small shovel CX = ft 5 °
Dd VV" booster cables

Y
paper towels tow chain

L
<7 windshield scraper

—

_ pail of sand or kitty litter ~~

bright colored cloth

pole if you have no antenna



1. roads, 2. flash flood, 3, ground, 4. streams, 5. car
6. bridges -- 1. T,2.F, 3.7.4. 7,5. F,6.F,7.F,8.T,
9. F, 10.T

1. tornado, 2. funnel and top, 3, black clouds, 4
watch, 5. warning , 6. train, 7. ditch, 8. basement, 9.
hail, 10. bathroom, 11. windows, 12. mobile home, 13
sky, 14. radio -- 1. T,2.F,3.7,4.7,5.1,6.F,7. F.8.
‘Answers: (Across) T.9.7.10.F
4. Electricity, 6. Wind Chill, 7. Summer, 8. Floods
14. Thunder, 15. Weather, 16. Hail, 17. Funnel
Answers: (Down)
1. Forecasts, 2. Radio, 3. Eye, 5. Tornado. 7.

Snowstorms 9. Lightning, 10. Surge, 11. Shortest.
12, Warming, 13.Huricane hazards (pq 35)

1. Tornado, 2. hurricane, 3, hurricane, lightning and
tornado, 4. winter storm and lightning, 5. flash
flood, 6. lightning, 7. hurricane, lightning, winter
storm, and tornado, 8. hurricane, tornado, and win-
ter storm, 9. hurricane, tornado, winter storm and
flash flood, 10. tornado

1. watch, 2. warning, 3, kitty litter, 4. antenna, 5.
carbon monoxide, 6. layers, 7. mittens, 8. winter,
9. wind chill, 10. snowdrift -- 1. T, 2. F, 3.1, 4.F, 5
F,6. 7, 7.7, 8.7, 9. F, 10. F

1, F-lightning, 2. T, 3. F- Flooding
4. F,5. F-anywhere 6. F, 7. T, 8. F,9. T, 10. FI

1. die, 2. telephone, 3, thunder, 4. explode , 5.
tallest, 6. shortest, 7. electricity, 8. tree, 9. fire,

.
hurricane es water 7! F273.747,5.76F.7.78

1

air, 2. moving, 3, oceans, 4. hurricanes
5. high tides and flooding, 6. watch

7. warning, 8. radio, 9. inland, 10. eye --
1.F,.2.7,3.F,4.F75.7,6F,7. 7.8 F,9.F,10.T

g 34)

1. Tornado, 2. tornado, 3. lightning, 4. winter
storm, 5. flash flood 6. hurricane, 7. hurricane,
8. tornado, 9. hurricane, 10. tornado.



When weather forecasters decide the storm might reach land within 2 days, they issue a Hurricane Watch.

A Watch tells people who live or work near the coast that the hurricane over the ocean might reach land. The National Weather
Service will tell you what is happening. Listen to the radio or television.

Hurricane Warning

When the National Weather Service puts out a Warning, it means a hurricane is likely to reach land near you with winds more than
73 miles an hour! That's hard enough to blow down trees and other big objects that could hit you or your home. Ouch!

A Warning also means dangerous high water and very rough seas are expected. You definitely need to get off your boat and get to
safety.

Cat out wagn you
ara told.

When the hurricane hits, the sea may rise as high
as 25 feet above normal high tide! That is taller
than six kids standing on each other's shoulders!

This extreme high tide is called the storm surge.
The surge sinks boats, knocks down piers and
floods houses. Most people who die during a
hurricane drown because of inland flooding, not
wind.

If you live near the shore, plan to go inland where
it's safer.

In a big hurricane, the speed of the winds may be more
than 150 miles an hour! Trees and houses are blown
down. Windows in buildings are blown out. It rains
hard. There may be flooding hundreds of miles from
the coast as heavy rain falls. Watch out for flying debris.


7 Weather Yazarde

Fill in Each Space With the Most Correct Weather Hazard
Hurricane, tornado, lightning, flash flood, or winter storm

Tm TR

The path of a is sometimes narrow, but very destructive.

2. Usually before a hits you see a funnel extending from a dark cloud formation

3. Usually high towering clouds develop before a storm.

4. Asevere can occur as late as April, which happened in 1982.

5.A usually occurs in valleys where there are narrow stream beds.

6.A is an extensive storm that usually develops in August or September.

7.Ina the most dangerous hazard may be flooding.

8. When a approaches, go to the basement or to an inside closet or hall

9. When a approaches, get away from the seashore, go to a safe inland location.
10. Don't try to outrun a in your cai \ \ I

ct

va

= 4% Answers on page 41



dna Car or Truck

+ Watch for flooding on bridges and low points in the road.

+ Stay off bridges or roads under water. All of a sudden the bridge or
the road could be washed out. They may not even be there under
the water.

+ If you are in a car, truck or other vehicle and become washed away AM,

by water, get out and swim to higher ground if you can. ~
+ If you're riding in a car at night, be specially careful. If you drive into SN

deep water, get out of your car. Climb to higher ground. \ ~~

+ If you're driving through canyon country along a stream and hear a
Flash Flood Warning, leave your car and climb to higher ground.
Don't try to outrun the flash flood.

*” frequent flash
~ floods, keep a
battery operated radio
with you. Tune to a local station
or stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio. The

flood may get worse. Keep away from
etraame and riverc



If you must go
out in a blizzard...

+ Wear mittens. They are warmer than
gloves.

+ Wear several layers of wool clothing
and a windbreaker. Layers are

warmer than a single heavy garment.

+ Wear a hood that covers your mouth.

+ Wear a hat and ear muffs.

+ If you must go out, fasten a lifeline to
yourself and to the house so you don't

get lost in the blizzard.



Hy >

C + Flash floods and tornadoes can occur during any month of the year. Not so with snow
bee storms; they occur in winter or sometimes in early spring or late fall. Usually the snow
piles up slowly, so you have time to get to a safe place, but not always. In a winter storm
a few flakes may fall and the next moment you see blinding snow. It’s so heavy you
‘« can’t see to drive or walk. It piles up deeper and deeper. All at once you may be stalled
in a huge drift. You may be trapped.

g

Winter Storm h

There is a chance of heavy snow, ice or sleet, ice storm, dangerously low wind chill or a blizzard within the
next day or two.

Winter Storm Wa rn Nn g

Severe winter weather IS coming. Be alert. Stay indoors!


After each, write in the weather hazard or hazards, that apply.

Qv?.
. . Oo 1. Go to the lowest level
(o)
2. Put boards over windows
3. Stay away from windows

4. Stay in your car

5. Get out of your car

6. Stay away from metal

7. Stay indoors

8. Have fresh water

9. Have a NOAA Weather Radio or battery powered
radio

10. | Cover your head with your hands

Answers on page 4 Zw, i eee



oodles aad Flach Floods

Flash floods are fast moving water
that can sweep you or your car
away in seconds.

Floods are too much water on normally
dry land. Rivers can flood after heavy rain
has fallen over a long period of time.
River flooding can last weeks or longer.
River floods usually occur slowly enough
to allow people and property to move to
safety.

Flooding can occur anytime of the year.
Some floods are seasonal, when winter or
spring rains combine with melting snows
and fill rivers with too much water too
quickly. Other floods are associated with
land-falling hurricanes and tropical storms
in the summer and fall.

Whenever it rains heavily, there may be
flash floods. Flash floods occur in
mountain streams, canyons or dry
washes. They also happen on low spots
in cities and suburbs.

Flash floods can occur even though it's
not raining where you are. It may be
raining hard upstream, so hard, water
cannot sink into the ground. Water rushes
down to the stream which fills up past its
banks and overflows.

A flash flood may come at you like a high
wave of water. To save yourself and your
parents, you need a plan.



In a Store, Office or
other Building...

* Go to the lowest level and stay away
from windows and doors.
+ Protect your head.

Outside or in aCar...

+ Get out of a car and inside a house or
building.

+ Don't try to outrun a tornado in a car.
Tornadoes can pick up a car and throw it
through the air.

+ If you're caught outside, crouch low in a
ditch. Or crouch near a strong building.

* Cover your head with your hands.

_ Y
A

=
= |

T= a

Follow directions from your teachers.

* Go to an inside hall on the lowest floor. And remember, when there's a tornado there can be a lot of
* Crouch near the wall. Bend over and put your hands lightning. Stay away from anything metal—faucets, radiators, metal
on the back of your head. sinks and tubs.

* Keep away from glass windows and stay out of big
rooms like the gym, cafeteria, or auditorium.
@ + Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or a battery powered

eadin far wuarninne

Tornadoes are scary. They pack a lot of energy, enough to blow
down a whole town! But you can live through a tornado. Be smart.
Know what to do, and do it.



flasn Flood Quiz

Fill in the blank with the correct word. Use these words:

—— streams ground
flash flood roads
bridges car

1. Aflash flood can wash out and bridges.

2A
a high wave of water.

may come to you as

3. If it is raining hard, water cannot sink

— into the :
4. Flash floods most often occur in mountain
—_ A
5. If you are driving in deep water, get out of your ~~"
and climb to higher ground. ~

6. If you are driving in heavy rain, watch for flooding
at and low points in the road.

ae <
“What should campers do if
: heavy rains are expected?

TT

Circle T (true) or F (false) for each
sentence below.

TF

1. When you hear a flash flood
warning it means there will be
a flood within 24 hours.

2. Flash floods usually occur
along beaches.

3. If you are camping and a flash
flood occurs, run to higher ground.

4. Along with flash floods, there is
often heavy lightning.

5. Drive as fast as possible through
a flooded road to avoid being
washed downstream.

6. Never try to outrun a flash flood.

7. If you are camping and you
hear a flash flood warning,
pack up your tent and bring all
your camping gear so it will not
be damaged by the flood.

8. A flash flood can wash out roads
and bridges and uproot trees.

9. The National Weather Service
will always warn you if a flash
flood is expected.

10. Whenever it rains heavily,
there may be flash floods.

Answers on page 41


T F 1. When there is lightning, crouch under a tree.
TF 2. When there is lightning, stay away from anything made

Fill in the blank with the correct words. of metal

Use these words: T F 3. Stay by the window and watch for streaks of lightning
die fire TF 4. Inastorm, you usually see the lightning before you
electricity explode shortest water hear the thunder.
tree tallest thunder telephone T F 5. When the sky lights up, but you can't see the streaks of

lightning, it means the storm is over.
TF 6. When there is lightning, go to the highest spot on a hill
and get out your umbrella for protection from the storm.

1. About 100 people each year from lightning
and the fires it causes.

2. Don't use a unless there is an TF 7. Every day someone is struck by lightning
emergency. TF 8 Lightning never strikes twice in the same place
T FQ. If there is lightning, call all your friends to make sure

3. and lightning occur together. they are safe.
T F 10. Lightning storms may occur in the winter but are most

common in spring and summer.

4. Lightning can make a tree by heating
the sap in the tree

Lightning hits the objects.

Lightning takes the path.

List 5 rules for lightning
safety.

When lightning forms, clouds become charged with

8. If you are outside when there is lightning, don't go
under a

When lightning strikes, it can start a
that kills people and animals.

if you are in

get out. Stay away
from the beach.

Answers on page 41



Stay indoors. Trees could fall on you. You could be blown over. Flying
boards, limbs or garbage could crash into you. A live electric wire could
fall on you. Intense rain may cause flooding. Often heavy rain and
flooding are more dangerous than wind.

Beware of the eye of the hurricane. A hurricane is a big doughnut of
wind with a calm section at the middle. That calm section is called the
eye of the hurricane.
* The whole hurricane could be 300 miles across. The calm
center may last from a few minutes to an hour or more.
* The sun may come out and you might think the storm is over.
But it isn't. As the hurricane moves, winds will blow just as hard,
but from the opposite direction.

Hurricanes and

Get a flashlight and a
radio that run on

batteries in case you
lose electricity.

Save and clean six 2-liter soda
bottles or a large water
container (as shown) for each
family member. When a storm
warning is announced, fill up
the bottles.

oo

Water pipes may a)
break. Also, —
water from ()
faucets may not

be safe to drink (W>-~

y

for a while.

of Hurricane. <> _ .

=__.-
€ ONS LS. GE
NF pa

Tropical Storms can kill. Don't be caught by one!

at out of its way.
Go inland, Do it
immadiatraly!


Barore the Cropm Comes...

Put boards or
storm shutters
over windows.
Do NOT tape the
windows. Taping
just leaves gunk
on your windows,
it doesn't protect
them.

Pick up all the small
things laying around
your yard, like toys,
tools and flower pots
and bring them inside.
The wind could pick
them up and send
them slamming into
windows, cars or you!

If you're not close to shore, you
may plan to stay in your home to
ride out the storm. Clean drains
and prepare for flooding.

Qe



Flash
Flood
Warning

When you hear a "Flash
Flood Warning" on the
radio or TV, there is
flooding right NOW. Get
away from low-lying roads
and other low spots NOW.
Seconds count.

Keep your eye on streams
to see if water is rising.

If streams rise, get out fast.
Go to higher ground.



What to co lm Your tome

S\

d
\

Go to the
basement if
you have
one. Get
under a
heavy
workbench

or the stairs.

When you hear the
Tornado Watch, keep your
eye on the sky for signs of
a possible tornado and
listen to the radio for the
latest news from the
National Weather Service.

——«

If there is no

basement, go
to a closet on
an inside wall, F
a bathroom, or
hallway on the
lowest level of
the house.

——
oO






In 2002, a very big tornado hit VanWert, Ohio, and completely destroyed
a movie theater that was showing “Santa Claus II”. More than 60
people were in the theater. Fortunately, the movie theater manager got
the National Weather Service warning to moviegoers in time and no one
was hurt. They were moved from the seating area to a stronger section
of the building. The seating area was severely damaged and the
children were safe.

Most tornadoes happen in April, May, and
June in the Central and Southeast United

States. But they have occurred in every
month and in every state.



In Texas a mother huddled in an inside closet with six
L children. A tornado ripped off the roof of their house,
oo tore down one wall and destroyed their garage. But
all seven in the closet weren't even scratched.

In 1931 a tornado in Minnesota lifted an 83-ton railroad
train with 117 passengers and carried it for 80 feet.

roe |e

\;C=
ier TT TTT
7 TaTT Tat ee

Tornadoes are rare in many parts of the United States.
But they have occurred in all 50 states

In a Mobile Home or Trailer

If you live in a mobile home, get out. Even if it is tied down, a mobile
home can be shattered by a tornado. The whole thing can be lifted up 7
and dropped. Get out and into a safer place. Some mobile home areas
have storm shelters. If you cannot get to a shelter, lie in a ditch and cover
your head with your hands.

In Mississippi, a mother and her daughter
sought shelter in their bathtub. After the tornado
hit. the only room left was the bathroom.



My Owlie
Skywarn's 4
Weather Book |. —

eo

American

Name
SE

KOC VO YVVIYVYNV9G

tess
ee 2

RA

& FEMA g



‘fo

Cirele T (true) or F (false) for each
sentence below.

the fat part at the top.

TF 2. You will always notice a funnel
before a tornado strikes.

A tornado destroys everything in
its path

TF 4. Atornado may hit your home and
leave your neighbor's home alone

nado Quiz

TF 5. Atornado can throw cars and 4
trucks into the air.
TF 6. There will seldom be lightning
during a tornado.
6.
T F_ 7. Go into a large room such as the
school cafeteria if there is a tornado 7
warning.
8
TF 8. The sky may be blue at the time 9
~ you hear a tornado watch .
1
TF 9. When a tornado is coming, get out 0
of a car and go inside a house.
11.
TF 10. When you hear a tornado
warning, get in the car and drive 12
as fast as you can in the opposite
direction
13.
14.

Answers on page 41

TF 1. Atornado looks like a funnel with Fill in the blank with the correct word. Use these words:

funnel radio ditch
windows bathroom watch
warning hail mobile home
black clouds basement top

A

can flatten homes and buildings.
A tornado looks like a with the fat part at the

Before a tornado, you will probably see

A tornado
may develop later.

A tornado.
actually been seen.

A tornado can sound like the roar of a

If you are outside when you see a tornado, go to a low spot or a_

The best place to be if there is a tornado is ina

There may be thunder, lighting, rain or along with the tornado.

If you don't have a basement, the next best place to be is ina or other
small room in the center of the house.

Stay away from during a tornado

If you live ina , get out. It can be shattered by a
tornado.

When you hear a Tornado Watch, keep your eyes on the

You can hear a Tornado Watch by listening to NOAA Weather

is issued by the National Weather Service when a tornado

is issued by the National Weather Service when a tornado has

On the lines to
the left, tell
what you should
do if a tornado
is coming.

train
sky
tornado



Fill in the blank with the correct words. Use these words:

winter antenna snowdrift carbon monoxide
watch mittens warning layers
kitty litter wind chill

Awinter storm means there is a chance of heavy snow or blizzards.

Awinter storm means severe winter weather is coming.

If a winter storm is expected you should have sand or
in your trunk in case your car gets stuck

If a winter storm is expected, you should put a bright colored cloth on the
so someone can find you.

Circle T (true) or F (false) for each sentence below.

5. If you keep your car engine running to keep warm, you could die from T F 1. During a winter storm you can be stuck in a snowdrift.
poisoning unless your windows are open to get fresh air.

T F 2. If your car is stuck in the snow, roll up all the windows
6. If you go outside in severe weather, you will be warmer if you wear of and keep the engine running until you run out of gas.
wool clothing.

T F_ 3. If you are trapped in a car, move your hands and feet as
are warmer than gloves much as possible to keep warm

Snow storms and blizzards usually occur in T F_ 4. An umbrella should be a part of your winter storm safety kit

9. The temperature your body feels when the actual temperature and wind are T F 5. Snow storms can occur anytime of the year.
combined is called :

T F_ 6. If your car is stuck in the snow, leave your ceiling light on
at night so you can be seen

10. If you are driving during a blizzard, your car could be stalled in a huge

T F_ 7. Booster cables and a snow brush should be part of your

Answers on page 41 winter storm car safety kit.

Wind chill is the combined effect of temperature and
wind felt by your body.

9. Wear gloves. They are warmer than mittens.

10. If your car is stuck in a snowdrift, stand on the roof
wearing brightly colored mittens and wave your arms.



If you ever see a big, black cloud with a funnel shaped cloud
beneath it, watch out. It could be a tornado.

A tornado looks like a funnel with the fat part at the top. Inside
winds may swirl up to 300 miles an hour.

If it goes through a town, the tornado could flatten homes and
buildings, throw cars and trucks through the air and shatter
mobile homes into splinters.

It could just hit your home and leave your neighbor's home alone
or could destroy an entire town.

Sometimes you don't see the funnel first. It may be raining too
hard. Or the tornado may come at night. Listen for the tornado's
roar—like the sound of 1,000 trains!

Tornado Watch

The National Weather Service forecasts that a tornado may
develop later. The sky may be blue at the time you hear the
Watch. Don't be fooled. Listen to the radio for the latest news
and get to safety.

Tornado Warning

When someone has seen a tornado the NWS issues a warning,
It may be moving toward you! Dark clouds swirl in the sky.
There may be thunder, lightning, heavy rain or hail. When you
see large hail, you may be close to a tornado. You should
already be inside. Power may go off. If you are outside, go inside
immediately.





Fill in the crossword puzzle with the answers from the
previous page. If all your answers fit, congratulations,

you answered all the questions correctly!

‘|

,

Answers on page 41


Norae



In the Antarctic, there is a
30-30-30 rule. When the
temperature is 30 below, and
the wind is 30 miles per hour,
a person can live only 30
minutes outside.

During the winter, you often hear
the term “wind chill.” Wind
combined with air temperature
makes your body feel even colder

than the actual temperature. You
get that feeling when you get out of
the pool or ocean in the summer.

In winter, wind chill can be
dangerous. For example when the
outside temperature is zero
degrees and the wind speed is

20 miles per hour, the wind chill
makes it feel like 22 degrees below
zero. Exposed skin will freeze in
less than 30 minutes.



Htinwicanes

The air that surrounds our planet weights 5,000,000,000,000,000
(5 quadrillion) tons! That's 13,700,000,000 (13 billion, 700 million)
Empire State Buildings!

Air is moving all the time—swirling, blowing, sinking, rising. In
summer and early fall, great masses of air move over the warm

oceans. The oceans get hot, pick up lots of water and start swirling,
blowing, sinking and rising.

A hurricane is bom. If the hurricane moves toward the shore, powerful winds,
high tides and flooding could wipe out cities, towns and farms.

af Before the hurricane reaches you...

t Long before a hurricane hits land, the National Weather Service knows
about it. Satellites have taken pictures of the storm and computers have
calculated where it is going.

Hurricane Hunter airplanes fly into the storm and report more exact

measurements. As it comes closer to land, special weather radars track the
e hurricane.

Radio, television and more than 800 NOAA Weather Radio stations warn
people about the hurricane. It may reach land. Get ready!



* As clouds develop, small bits in the clouds become
charged with electricity. When the charges overflow,
they make a lightning flash.

* Keep an eye on the sky. On a hot day, clouds build
up. They grow larger, towering higher and higher.
They darken. The top of the clouds may be spread
out by winds at high altitudes.

+ Lightning may go from one part of a cloud to another,
or from cloud to cloud. It may go from a cloud to the

earth.
* Lightning takes the shortest path. So, it hits the

highest objects—a 6 foot tall tree or 3 story house, a
tower, or a person standing alone in a flat field.

Ray Sullivan, a retired National Park Ranger, was hit 7 times by
lightning. He has been knocked down, picked up and thrown into
the air. He has lost his shoes and a toenail, and he can't hear as
well, but at least he's still alive.

Now he lives in a mobile home with lightning rods on each end
and lightning rods on trees around his home. Hopefully, lightning
will follow the rods and leave Ray alone.



What To Do When There is Lightning

* Get into your home or a large building.

* Get inside a hard-topped car.

+ If you are in a field, crouch on your knees and bend over. Don't lie down because wet ground can carry
electricity.

+ If you are in water, get out. Get away from the beach.

If You are Outside

+ If outside, stay in the open, not under a tree or in a picnic shelter or shed. It's better to get wet than fried!
+ Lightning hits the tallest object.

+ Move away from anything made of metal like a framed backpack. Metal draws electricity.

+ Get to the lowest point possible if you are on a hill or mountain.

* Get out of a boat and into a building.

\ Oa
; i aan

Stay away from sinks
and tubs and anything
else wet that could
conduct electricity.

LL

Don't use the telephone unless
there's an emergency.

Keep away from windows
and doors. Flying glass
could hurt you.

Turn off the TV and computer.
_] Don't use the microwave or other —_
_— | electric appliance. Lightning could ZZ
follow the wire, hurt you, and wipe
out the appliance.

| (P—__ or



Weather can be calm and peaceful. It also can be violent and dangerous. Each year hundreds of people
are killed by severe storms such as tornadoes, hurricanes and flash floods. But they don't have to be.
If they paid attention to NOAA's National Weather Service warnings, they would be much safer.

Designed and Illustrated by: Rick Leach and Luis D. Rodriguez

(2)


Fill im cach espace with one of the anewers below. Them Ell tia
the eroceword puzzle on the next page to cheek your anewers.

Electricity, eye, floods, forecasts, funnel, hail, hurricane, lightning, radio, shortest, snowstorms, summer,
surge, thunder, tornado, warning, weather, or wind chill.

Down

1. During a severe storm watch or listen to your local , it can help save lives.

2. Before the storm comes get a flashlight and with batteries in case you lose electricity.
3. The calm section of a hurricane is called the

5. It packs a lot of energy, enough to blow down a whole town.

7.

9

They occur in winter and sometimes in early spring or late fall.
kills more people than hurricanes and tornadoes.

10. Water 25 feet above normal high tide in a hurricane is called a storm

11. Lightning takes the path.

12. If you hear a tornado act immediately.

13. A is a big doughnut of winds with a calm section in the middle.

Across

Stay away from sinks and tubs and anything else wet that could conduct

6. is a measure of how cold the air feels when combined with air temperature to make your
body feel even cooler than the actual temperature.

7. Lightning storms may occur in the winter but are most common in the spring and

8. Flash can occur even though it's not raining where you are.

14 and lightning occur together.

15. More than 700 NOAA Radio stations broadcast hurricane watches and warnings.
16. Thunderstorms can be accompanied by damaging as large as golf balls or baseballs.
17. A tornado looks like a with the fat part at the top.

% e4
3
>»

AG

ony


Wie ‘fo Do JK [ou he Oe Homes

Electricity may go off. Haye way to ¢ ms
the furraee nas pot otk. 2s N\

e a supply of food and
a flashlight.

and clean 6
ze soda bottles
a i large water
‘ainer (as

in) for each

Find your battery operated

Wy family amber
radio and spare
batteries.



Lightning pg 13

oN
Floods pg 17

ae
ES

Winter Storms pg 21 Learn more about dangerous
weather and follow the warnings in

this book. They may keep you, your
family and pets alive!

Weather Quizzes pg 29



Fill in the blank with the correct words. Use these words:

watch eye radio flooding

hurricanes moving warning air

inland high tides oceans

The that surrounds our planet weighs five quadrillion tons.
Air is all the time. It swirls, blows, sinks and rises.

Air moves over warm
In summer and early fall,
of moisture.
5. Hurricanes cause
6. A hurricane
within 2 days.
7. Ahurricane
and winds could reach up to 74 mph. .
8. NOAA Weather warns people about hurricanes.
9. If you live near the ocean, go where it is safe.
10. The center of a hurricane is called the

and picks up lots of moisture.
form when air masses pick up lots

BONS

and .
tells people a hurricane may reach land

means a hurricane is expected within 24 hours

Answers on page 41

Circle T (true) or F (false) for each

sentence below.

TF
TF

TE

1.
2.

3.

High wind is called a storm surge.
NOAA Weather Radio stations warn
people about hurricanes.
Hurricanes usually appear suddenly
and surprise everyone. .

When a hurricane is expected to
reach land in 2 days forecasters
issue a Hurricane Warning.
Hurricane Hunter airplanes fly into
a storm to get information about the
hurricane.

Hurricane winds can reach 350 mph.
Hurricanes cause rain, high tides
and flooding.

During a hurricane, stay under a tree.
Put duct tape on your windows if a
hurricane is coming.

It is a good idea to have a flash
light, radio and extra batteries if a
hurricane is expected.


AgQeoulrege

Web Weather for Kids: Check this out if you want to make fog, a
tornado, or lightning. http://)www.ucar.edu/educ_outreach/webweather/

Here are some web sites
for some fun learning
about weather

Kids ' Crossing: Wow! Explore this weather funhouse. Lots of weather
links, too. http:/Awww.ncar.ucar.edu/eo/kids/

Weather, Seasons and Climate: Play the weather game, keep
a weather journal or color the seasons.
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/k4/teacher/weather/weather.html

Jetstream: Loads of information can be found on this online weather
school. http:/Awww.srh.noaa.govijetstream/mesoscale/ingredient.htm

Playtime for Kids: Here you'll find coloring books, puzzles, games
and other fun stuff. http:/www.nws.noaa.gov/om/reachout/fun.shtml

Kid's Hazards Quiz: Are you prepared? Find out by taking this fun
quiz. http:/www.ngdc.noaa.gov/seg/hazard/kqStart.shtml

SciJinks Weather Laboratory: At this Web site, you can write
your own weather story or find a weather science fair topic
http://scijinks.jpl.nasa.gov/weather/

Franklin's Forecast: Learn how to make your own weather station:
learn about El Nino and radar. http://www.fi.edu/weather/



* The lowest temperature in the United States was -79.8°F (-62.1C) at Prospect Creek Camp in the Endicott
Mountains of northern Alaska on January 23, 1971.

* Aside from Alaska, the coldest temperature was -69.7°F (56.5C) in Rogers Pass, Montana, on January 20, 1954.
* One storm from February 13-19, 1959, dumped 189 inches of snow at Mt. Shasta Ski Bowl, California.

+ The greatest snowfall in 24 hours in the United States was at Silver Lake, Colorado, on April 14-15, 1921, 75.8 inches.

+ The most snow in the U.S. in one month--390 inches (32.5 feet) fell at Tamarack, California, in January 1911.

+ In the winter of 1971-72, 93.5 feet (1,122 inches) of snow fell at the Rainier Paradise Ranger Station in the state
of Washington.

In the United States, temperatures are
given in Fahrenheit degrees. The
Celsius temperatures (also called
centigrade) are used in most other
countries. Here are both scales so
you can convert one to another.

©) U0
Scales OO

Y [~TM 10 water
f! e Boils

vere

ff 90
ys en

an
(C(O,
y

ie

° Coincide
y5e. ‘@
lee) @ -b0 C
0 6) ° - 26264 oO
-70 fe)
‘©
“80 G
~-90 1e)
Water © QO


Most tornadoes are narrow and seldom stay on the ground for more |,
than 15 miles. But the wider ones, up to a mile wide, go further
and are the big killers.

One town, Codell, Kansas, was struck three
times: In 1916, 1917 and 1918-each time

/ | In 1999, a series of 76 tornadoes, | >

some with winds more than 260 —
miles per hour swept through
northern Texas, Oklahoma and
Kansas, killing several people in 4 é
hours. More than 9,000 homes
and businesses were completely
destroyed.



Thunder and lightning occur together. It just seems
like you usually see the lightning first because light
moves faster than sound.

As soon as you see lightning, count the seconds
until you hear the thunder. If you count 5 seconds,
the lightning was about a mile away. Sound goes
about 1000 feet a second. In metric, if it takes three
seconds to hear the thunder, the storm is about a
kilometer away.

If you see lightning and hear thunder at just about
the same moment, watch out. The storm is right
above you.

Lightning is a killer. It strikes people directly. It also
starts fires that kill many people and animals.

Sometimes when it's stormy, you don't see any
streaks of lightning, but the sky lights up

occasionally. It means the storm is very far away,
too far for you to see the streaks, and perhaps so
far you don't hear any thunder either.

| i U oe
| Lightning can do strange things like make a tree explode. Lightning
heats the sap in the tree trunk. The sap changes to steam. The steam

expands and blows up the tree. In a herd of cows, one of a dozen might
(15 be struck. The others may be untouched. It can also kill a whole herd.