Monday, March 8, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 9
Events to promote weather awareness
By Jennifer Roush
jroush @kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
Peak tornado season has not arrived yet, but meteorologists at the National Weather Service in Topeka want to teach Kansas residents what to do when it does.
The National Weather Service, in partnership with the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, has designated the week of March 8-12 Severe Weather Awareness Week. This is the 26th year that the service has conducted the awareness campaign.
Each day of the week will spotlight a different form of severe weather and what people can do to protect themselves from it.
Monday's topic is flooding, Tuesday is tornadoes, Wednesday is lightning, Thursday is non-tornadic winds and Friday will focus on severe weather information sources in Kansas.
Mike Akulow, National Weather Service meteorologist, said the campaign was designed to make people aware of the changing seasons and to prevent deaths and injuries caused by severe weather.
The prime months for tornadoes in Kansas are April, May and June, he said. However, tornadoes have occurred as early as March and as late as October.
"The chances are pretty small that the University would be hit, but it is possible," Akulow said. "It's a good idea to be prepared. It could be a big disaster with all those people."
He said the two best methods of staying safe from tornadoes were to watch the sky and listen to weather reports from local television or radio stations.
At 10 a.m. and 6:26 p.m. Tuesday, the National Weather Service will conduct tornado safety drills across the state, Akulow said.
He said information about the drills would be given to television and radio stations and newspapers. Media outlets can
TORNADO SAFETY TIPS
- Tornado watch: tornadoes and/or severe thunderstorms are possible in a wide area. Be alert.
Tornado warning: a tornado has been spotted or shown on radar. Take cover immediately.
A sky that is dark with a greenish cast, severe thunderstorms, high winds and hail all are associated with tornadoes. If these conditions are present, take cover.
Seek shelter indoors immediately. A basement or underground shelter is best.
If no basement is available, go to the center of the lowest floor of the building. A closet or bathroom with no windows works well.
Cover up with a blanket, pillow, or sleeping bag to protect from flying debris.
- Avoid rooms with plate glass windows.
Do not attempt to drive during severe weather.
then decide whether regular broadcasting will be interrupted by Emergency Broadcast System warnings.
Although participation is not mandatory, the service is encouraging schools and other public buildings, businesses and individuals to participate in the drills, Akulow said.
"We hope that people will react to the drills as if they were real," he said.
Officials from KJHK and KANU were not sure yesterday whether the stations would break into their regular programming with Emergency Broadcast System warnings.
Douglas County will be participating in the drills, said Paula Phillips, director of Douglas County Emergency Management.
the tornado sirens in the county will sound after the service issues the warnings, as long as weather permits, she said.
"We won't sound them if the sky is overcast or if it's cold and snowy," Phillips said. "This is only a drill, and we don't want 'people to think that it's real when it isn't.'"
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