We found ourselves in our Emergency Operations Center again tonight because of rough weather. Although not as bad as last week, there were numerous reports of strong winds, some cloud rotation and hail in Rice County. At one point, the Weather Service reported heavy hail heading to Northfield from the Faribault area.
In checking areas around Northfield, it was clear that none of those in attendance at baseball fields and soccer fields were aware of the weather. Although we were able to get officers to the various locations around town to use the loud speaker on the squad car to notify people, few took heed or notice. The reality is we may not always have officers available to notify people if the weather hits fast.
I use examples of which I am experienced. On June 3, 1980, the weather forecast in Grand Island, Nebraska forecast a 20% chance of bad weather. By sunrise the next day, 7 tornadoes had ripped through the Central Nebraska community , killing five people and leaving most of the community looking like it had been hit by a bomb. Twenty-five years later, the community still recovers.
The past two tornado incidents in Northfield took place with absolutely no watch or warning issued by the National Weather Service. We are fortunate to have well-trained weather spotters who put themselves at risk to keep an eye on bad weather.
Some basic rules you should follow this time of year.
1. Keep track of weather throughout the day. Read the long range forecasts.
2. Keep a portable radio with you if you will be outdoors so you can check for any watches or warnings should the weather turn threatening.
3. If a watch or warning is issued, be prepared to take appropriate action. A watch means conditions are right for thunderstorms or tornados. A warning means a tornado or severe thunderstorm has been confirmed and you should take immediate shelter.
4. Have a family unification plan should you become separated because of severe weather.
5. Keep in mind that cell phones and conventional means of communication will probably not be working. The police will be busy and will not be able to deliver messages, especially if we are in a search and rescue mode.
6. Use common sense. If the weather looks threatening, take steps to learn more and if necessary move to a safe location.
In Northfield, we will sound sirens if a tornado warning has been issued by the National Weather Service, a spotter confirms a possible tornado or a possible tornado is confirmed on RADAR. We will sound sirens (if they are operable) every 15 minutes while the warning is in place. We do not sound an “all clear.” The Weather Service does not issue an all clear, they simply allow warnings and watches to expire. Because weather can be different from one location to another, we recommend that if the warning or watch expires that you check your environment to make sure things look safe.
Many people call us at the at the emergency operations center or call 911 and ask if it is all clear. We are in a basement without view of the outside. All we can really advise is if the watch or warning has expired. The trouble with all the calls, is it ties up the emergency phone lines, not just the 911 lines and keeps us from tracking calls from our spotters and the Weather Service. You will get better information listening to a local television, radio, or weather radio station.
Tim Isom, our Emergency Management Director will be happy to provide you with additional information. You can leave a message for him by calling 507-645-4477 or email him. Tim’s day job is with St. Olaf and we appreciate their flexibility in allowing him to provide his time to assist as our Emergency Management Director. Because of popular demand, we will be hosting another SKYWARN training session soon. If you are interested, email or call Tim.
We want you to stay safe. Taking a few precautions and being prepared ahead of time for severe weather will save your life! While I’m on the topic of staying safe, a lot of the media outlets showed a number of still and video footage of the recent tornadoes in Wisconsin. Keep in mind that a tornado moves rapidly and can change directions quickly. If you are close enough to a tornado to take a picture, you are close enough to be taking shelter. Don’t risk your life for fifteen minutes of fame.