Bi l l y, Maria, and

the Thunderstorm

Series: 95-02
B illy , M a r ia , a n d

th e T hund erstorm
B illy a n d M a r ia w e r e p la y in g o u t s id e o n e 

a f t e r n o o n w h e n t h e y n o t ic e d b ig , f lu f f y , 

c u m u lu s c lo u d s f o r m in g .

c u m u lu s

c lo u d s

1
B e f o r e lo n g t h e r e w a s a la r g e s t o r m w it h in v ie w . 

M a r ia a n d B illy d e c id e d t o g o in s id e s in c e t h e 

w in d w a s b e g in n in g t o g e t v e r y s t r o n g .

2

CU M U LO N IM BU S

(s t o r m c lo u d )
B illy w a s lo o k in g o u t t h e w in d o w w h e n , s u d d e n ly , 

a lig h t n in g b o lt f la s h e d . I t t h e n b e g a n t o r a in 

h a r d . I t w a s p o u r in g a n d t h u n d e r w a s r u m b lin g 

everyw here .

3

lig h t n in g

b o lt

r a in
D O N 'T T A L K O N 

T H E T ELEPH O N E

TU RN 

O FF

A N D U N PLU G 

t e le v is io n a n d 

com puter

M O VE 

AW AY 

FRO M 

W IN D O W S

M a r ia ' s m o t h e r q u ic k ly g o t o f f t h e p h o n e , B illy 

m o v e d a w a y f r o m t h e w in d o w , a n d M a r ia 

u n p lu g g e d t h e t e le v is io n a n d c o m p u t e r . T h e s e 

t h in g s w e r e a ll d o n e in o r d e r t o k e e p s a f e f r o m 

t h e lig h t n in g .

4
B illy a n d M a r ia f e lt s c a r e d b e c a u s e o f a ll t h e 

t h u n d e r , s o t h e y lis t e n e d t o t h e ir N O A A 

W e a t h e r R a d io t o le a r n w h e r e t h e s t o r m w a s 

a n d w h e n it w o u ld b e o v e r .

NOAA 

W eather 

R a d io

...severe thunderstorm 

warnings for...

5
S o o n , t h e lig h t n in g a n d t h u n d e r s t o p p e d . I t w a s 

j u s t d r iz z lin g , s o M a r ia a n d B illy w e n t o u t s id e t o 

lo o k a r o u n d .

D RIZ Z LE

(s m a ll r a in d r o p s )

6
B illy w e n t o v e r t o t h e d r a in a g e d it c h t o s e e 

w h e r e a ll t h e r a in w a t e r w a s g o in g . B e f o r e h e 

g o t t o o c lo s e , M a r ia ' s m o t h e r r u s h e d o u t a n d 

t o ld h im " G e t a w a y f r o m t h e r e !" .

f lo o d e d 

d r a in a g e 

d it c h

7

G e t a w a y 

fro m th e re !
B illy w a s lu c k y f o r t h is w a r n in g . T h e d it c h w a s 

f lo o d e d w it h w a t e r . H e c o u ld h a v e f a lle n in t o 

t h e w a t e r a n d d r o w n e d if h e h a d g o t t e n c lo s e r ! 

M a r ia a n d B illy w e r e g la d t h e y h a d le a r n e d h o w 

t o s t a y s a f e d u r in g a t h u n d e r s t o r m .

8
H e r e a r e s o m e o f t h e s a f e t y r u le s t h a t B illy 

a n d M a r ia le a r n e d .

1 . G o in s id e

2 . S t a y a w a y f r o m w in d o w s

3 . D o n ' t t a lk o n t h e t e le p h o n e

4 . U n p lu g t e le v is io n s a n d c o m p u t e r s

5 . L is t e n t o t h e W e a t h e r R a d io

6 . S t a y a w a y f r o m r u n n in g w a t e r

a n d f lo o d e d a r e a s w h e n o u t d o o r s

B illy + M a r ia

9
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was established as part of the Department of Commerce 

on October 3, 1970. NOAA Mission responsibilities are to assess the socioeconomic impact of natural and 

technological changes in the environment and to monitor and predict the state of the solid Earth, the oceans and 

their living resources, the atmosphere, and the space environment of the Earth. 

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE 

An 1870 act of Congress created the U.S. Weather Bureau under the U.S. Army Signal Corps. Subsequent 

Congressional action in October 1890 placed the Weather Bureau under the Department of Agriculture. The 

Weather Bureau was transferred to the Department of Commerce in 1940. In 1965, the Environmental Science 

Services Administration (ESSA), which included the Weather Bureau, was created under the Department of 

Commerce. Still operating under ESSA, the Weather Bureau was renamed the National Weather Service in 1967. 

ESSA became the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 1970. 

" The National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather, hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warnings for the 

United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas, for the protection of life and property and the 

enhancement of the national economy. NWS data and products form a national information data base which can 

be used by other governmental agencies and the private sector. " 

NATIONAL SEVERE STORMS LABORATORY

"The National Severe Storms Laboratory, in partnership with the National Weather Service, enhances NOAA's 

mission through a balanced program of research to advance the understanding of weather processes, research to 

improve forecasting and warning techniques, development of operational applications, and transfer of 

understanding, techniques, and applications to the National Weather Service and other public and private sector 

agencies."

NSSL: bm02.pdf
BILLY AND MARIA SERIES INDEX OF TITLES

95-01 Billy and Maria Visit the National Weather Service, by Daphne G. Thompson, DOC,

 NOAA, NWS Central Region Headquarters, Scientific Services Division, Kansas City, 

 Missouri, March 1995. 

95-02 Billy, Maria and the Thunderstorm, by Daphne G. Thompson, DOC,

 NOAA, NWS Central Region Headquarters, Scientific Services Division, Kansas City, 

 Missouri, March 1995. 

95-03 Billy and Maria Learn About Tornado Safety- Part 1, by Daphne G. Thompson, DOC, 

 NOAA, NWS Central Region Headquarters, Scientific Services Division, Kansas City, 

 Missouri, April 1995. 

95-04 Billy and Maria Learn About Tornado Safety- Part 2, by Daphne G. Thompson, DOC,

 NOAA, NWS Central Region Headquarters, Scientific Services Division, Kansas City, 

 Missouri, April 1995.

95-05 Billy and Maria Learn About Tornado Safety- Part 3, by Daphne G. Thompson, DOC, 

 NOAA, NWS Central Region Headquarters, Scientific Services Division, Kansas City, 

 Missouri, April 1995. 

95-06 Billy and Maria Learn About Winter Weather- Part 1, by Daphne G. Thompson, DOC, 

 NOAA, NWS Central Region Headquarters, Scientific Services Division, Kansas City, 

 Missouri, June 1995. 

95-07 Billy and Maria Learn About Winter Weather- Part 2, by Daphne G. Thompson, DOC, 

 NOAA, NWS Central Region Headquarters, Scientific Service Division, Kansas City, 

 Missouri, July 1995. 

95-08 Billy and Maria Learn About Winter Weather- Part 3, by Daphne G. Thompson, DOC, 

 NOAA, NWS Central Region Headquarters, Scientific Services Division, Kansas City, 

 Missouri, August 1995.