Instead of my regular forecast, I want to talk to you for a minute.
I’m sure you’ve heard about the tragic and devastating tornadoes last night in Tennessee. I wish I could say they were preventable. They’re not.
If only a tornado warning was also a shield of protection for those communities in the path. That’s wishful thinking.
Warnings and warning sirens do buy us critical time. Time to get to the lowest level of our homes. That might be in the basement or an interior part of your house on the first floor away from windows.
Warnings and outdoor warning sirens are only valuable if you are aware of them. Last night's tornadoes struck at the worst possible time — while people were sleeping and perhaps unaware of the approaching danger. You must have a weather radio or weather app, like our Storm Shield app that will wake you up when a warning is issued for your neighborhood. The app is free.
Perhaps like yours, my heart rate goes up when a tornado watch is issued and warnings often follow. I, too, feel another level of anxiety.
If you’re afraid of storms, you are not alone. Concentrate on your plan of safety. Stress to your kids you have a plan to be protected. Use some of that anxious energy to track the storms, you can also do that with our app. That way you will know when storms are moving away from you or moving toward you.
Also, it’s very important to know central Indiana counties. Know your home county and at least surrounding counties. You can print off a map and keep it nearby in the kitchen.
Several years ago, I got a phone call from a viewer I will never forget. A lady was terrified by the severe weather threat on that particular day. She wanted to know where to go to be safe. I started to tell her about the safest place to be in her home when she interrupted me. 'No, No! I’m leaving the state,' she said. 'Where should I go?' Wow!
I realize my greatest responsibility to you is in times of severe weather. It’s a pleasure to tell you about beautiful weather headed our way, but it’s a necessity to share with you life-threatening weather information no matter the hour.
There are actions to take even on a sunny day. Make sure you have a way to be notified of warnings, the Storm Shield app and make sure you know your counties or have a central Indiana county map to follow the warnings.
