Local News

Always Be Prepared for Texas Hill Country Weather as Springtime Storms Roll In

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Tony Maples Photography

 

It’s been said if you don’t like the weather in Texas, give it a minute and it will change, and April 12, 2016 was a perfect example. From partly cloudy to overcast skies with calm winds in the morning, to rain, wind, lightning, hail, and thunder in the evening, severe storms rolled into northwestern San Antonio and Helotes overnight on Tuesday. This storm took thousands of Texans on a wild ride!

Many folks reported golf ball to tennis ball sized hail causing a flood of property damage to vehicles and homes. Rainfall amounts were reported from 1.5” to 2” in many parts of the area. Although the Hill Country does not report as much tornado activity as “tornado alley” in north Texas does, on occasions, it does have a tornado or two. Thank goodness none were reported  with this storm. The good news is this storm did pass, however there is predicted rain on the horizon once again. Minute to minute, Texas weather does change.

Weather Terms You Need to Know

local radar

Photo:  weather.blogs.foxnews.com

Weather watches include thunderstorm watches, flash flooding watches, and tornado watches.  Watches simply mean that atmospheric conditions are favorable for thunderstorms, flooding, or tornadoes to occur.  A good rule of thumb is to stay tuned to your local television or radio station.  Many cell phones can receive weather watch information from the National Weather Service or local TV stations which is an excellent feature since many of us live with our cell phone attached to our person.

Weather Warnings include thunderstorm warnings, flash flood warnings, and tornado warnings.  A warning means to these situations are occurring at present or about to occur. This is time to take shelter.  Listed below is helpful information on how to protect yourself and your family when warnings are given.

Lightning Safety

lightning

Photo: www.ddsdentrepair.com

Many times, even before you see rain, you will hear thunder and see lightning. The worst place to be when lighting occurs is outside — there is no really safe place outside. If you should happen to be outside and cannot take cover, follow these simple rules:

  • Get off elevated areas such as hills, mountains, and bridges.
  • Never take shelter underneath a single tree to weather the storm.
  • Stay away from bodies of water, such as lakes, ponds, rivers, and oceans.
  • Stay away from things that conduct electricity.

If you are inside:

  • Stay off phones, computers, and electronic devices.
  • Avoid plumbing such as sinks and bathtubs.
  • You may think it is exciting to watch a storm on a front or back porch, but stay away from porches and windows.

Flash Flood Safety

flood texas monthlyedit
Photo: www.texasmonthly.com

This is a big one, many people get caught in  areas of flooding. Flooding kills more people than lightning or tornadoes. If you get caught in a storm, make sure you know your location of where you are driving at.  Stay away from low water crossings and bridges. A good rule of thumb and you hear it all the time: Turn Around Don’t Drown! People should also remember that just because the storm passes the threat of flooding from the cresting of rivers and creeks can linger for days. It is best to avoid low water crossing areas around rivers and creeks until they have been declared safe.

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